Overview

• During a Fox & Friends call-in on Aug. 19, Trump said ending the Russia–Ukraine war could help him “get to heaven,” adding that saving “7,000 people a week” would be a worthy reason.
• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the president was serious about the remark.
• Evangelical voices including Franklin Graham used the moment to explain Christian teachings on salvation, while critics such as Jenna Ellis and Justin Peters rejected any suggestion of earning heaven through good works.
• Catholic Bishop Robert Barron said he was struck by Trump’s humility and suggested the 2024 assassination attempt may have deepened the president’s spiritual reflection.
• The comments came as Trump courts a mediator role after hosting Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House and speaking with Vladimir Putin, with no ceasefire or concrete commitments reported.