President Donald Trump shared a letter on Palm Sunday that had been sent to him by evangelist Franklin Graham last October, which urged him to seriously consider his eternal state, accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour and cease trusting in his own works if he hopes to go to Heaven.
In a letter dated Oct. 15, 2025, Graham congratulated Trump for securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the return of remaining Israeli hostages, which he praised as "incredible accomplishments" and "an answer to prayer" amid Trump's "historic" leadership. He also praised Trump for being a peacemaker, noting that Jesus promised blessing for such figures.
Graham went on to exhort the president to remember that, despite his many accomplishments and apparent blessings, neither he nor anyone else can earn favour before God and salvation from Hell apart from trusting in the righteousness and atoning death of Jesus Christ, performed on their behalf.
"This week you commented to the media that you might not be heaven bound," Graham wrote, referring to remarks Trump made last October, walking back previous comments he made last August suggesting he might earn a place in paradise by inking peace deals.
Trump's initial comments prompted a flurry of theological debate among his Evangelical supporters, many of whom worried that Trump maintained a faulty view of the Gospel, despite hearing it many times and narrowly escaping death multiple times.
"Maybe you responded in jest, but it is an important issue to know for certain that your soul is secure and will spend eternity in the presence of God," Graham told Trump in his letter. "The only One who can save us from Hell is Jesus Christ. You can't save yourself; I can't save myself."
Graham, whose father, the late Rev. Billy Graham, preached in person to more people than anyone in history, warned that "good works, prominence, [and] success" are powerless to gain entry into Heaven, adding, "The only way to Heaven is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ."
Though Graham was accused by some X users and media outlets of promising Trump he was going to Heaven, Graham's letter clearly presented Trump's salvation as conditional upon his faith, which he noted is inextricable with repentance.
"God requires us to turn from our sins and, by faith, believe in our heart that Jesus came to earth, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and God raised Him to life on the third day," he said.
"If you accept that by faith and invite Him to come into your heart, you ARE heaven bound, I promise you," he added.
Graham closed his letter by promising prayer for Trump and quoting the Gospel message from Romans 10:9: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Trump shared Graham's letter amid concerns even from some of the president's staunchest supporters regarding his increasingly mean-spirited attacks in response to the suffering and death of his enemies.
Trump drew scorn for celebrating the death of former special counsel and FBI Director Robert Mueller earlier this month, provoked Christian rebuke for attacking his political foes during the National Prayer Breakfast in February and prompted two-thirds disapproval from Republicans for mocking the late Hollywood director Rob Reiner after his own son gruesomely murdered him and his wife in December.
During his eulogy for the late Charlie Kirk at his memorial last September, Trump admitted that he "disagreed" with Kirk when it comes to forgiving one's enemies, noting, "I hate my opponent. And I don't want the best for them."
"Erika [Kirk], you can talk to me and the whole group, but maybe they can convince me that that's not right, but I can't stand my opponent," he added to Kirk's widow, who famously forgave her husband's murderer during the same memorial.
Despite some accusations of cynicism from detractors on social media, Graham's letter drew approval from figures such as evangelist and Trump supporter Sean Feucht, who expressed hope last fall that the 79-year-old president's remarks could indicate that he is at least thinking about eternity and questioning where he will spend it.
"He has no shortage of people that have clearly explained to him on phone calls, on conference calls, in person ... about the forgiveness of sins, repentance, by grace alone you can be saved, not by works," Feucht said at the time.
"He's heard it many, many times. However, I do think it is amazing [...] that he is acknowledging now that his good works alone — all his wealth, all his fame, all his stature, all his accolades, all his power — is not enough to get him to Heaven, and he's right. And that takes humility," said Feucht.
"I believe God is moving his heart closer than ever before," he continued, adding that he is praying that Trump would have a public conversion experience before he leaves office.
