Tens of thousands of faith leaders tuned into a conference call with President Donald Trump on Monday afternoon.
The call, which was not intended for the media, included press secretary Karoline Leavitt, faith advisers Paula White-Cain and Jenny Korn, as well as other senior White House officials.
But not everything went as planned. The call was delayed due to technical difficulties, per Trump’s post on Truth Social. “If the Boss of AT&T, whoever that may be, could get involved — It would be good. There are tens of thousands of people on the line!” Trump posted on his preferred social media platform.
The call comes after Trump signed an executive order in February to establish the White House Faith Office, according to the official announcement. The order renamed the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
“The executive branch is committed to ensuring that all executive departments and agencies honor and enforce the Constitution’s guarantee of religious liberty and to ending any form of religious discrimination by the Federal Government,” according to the order.
After Monday’s call, praise poured in from faith leaders who participated. “The vibe on this @WhiteHouse Faith Office call was absolutely over the top!” Pastor Travis Johnson, lead pastor at Pathway Church in Alabama, posted on X. He continued: "@realDonaldTrump dropping truth bombs left and right. Reminds me of how blessed America is to have a good champion for faith in DC. Best faith call I’ve ever been on."
“I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. YOU ARE MY FRIENDS‚” were Trump’s words on the call to the leaders, according to the author and broadcaster known as Joseph Z of Joseph Z Ministries in Colorado.
“It truly is a new day. Reformation. Revival. Renewal,” Joseph Z wrote.
“Truly a great call,” posted another attendee.
Paula White-Caine, senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, called Trump “the greatest champion of faith of any American President.”
President Trump has recently hosted faith leaders in the Oval Office, where the group prayed together, according to Fox. He has also hosted Catholics at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.