During the White House Easter lunch with Christian leaders on Wednesday, evangelist Franklin Graham delivered a prayer that quickly drew attention for its strong language about Iran and its support for President Donald Trump.
During the gathering, Graham referenced the biblical story of Esther, saying, “You tell us in the book of Esther that the Persians — the Iranians — were wanting to kill every Jew… but you raised up Esther to save the Jewish people.”
He then connected that narrative to current tensions, claiming that “the Iranians — the wicked regime of this government — wants to kill every Jew and destroy them with an atomic fire.”
Graham framed Trump’s leadership in spiritual terms, praying that God had “raised him up ‘for such a time as this,’” echoing a well-known line from the Book of Esther.
He asked God to “give him victory” and also prayed for U.S. troops, saying, “we pray for our military that you’d watch over and protect them.”
Graham also prayed for the Iranian people: “We pray for the people of Iran who want freedom, to be set free.”
