Trump’s ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles Printed in China Despite Trade Criticisms
TL/DR –
Former President Donald Trump has been promoting a Bible, in partnership with country singer Lee Greenwood, which includes copies of the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and Pledge of Allegiance. The Bibles are sold exclusively online through a website that states it is not affiliated with any political campaign nor is it owned or controlled by Trump. Trump’s name and images are used under a paid license from CIC Ventures, a company Trump owns and it is reported to have earned $300,000 in Bible sales royalties.
A fresh delivery of 70,000 copies of Trump’s Bible reached the Port of Los Angeles on March 28, announced just two days prior by Trump on his Truth Social platform. The former American president has collaborated with country singer Lee Greenwood to promote these Bibles that feature “God Bless the USA”.
This special Bible contains copies of the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and Pledge of Allegiance. Trump emphasized the necessity to bring back religion to make America great again, expressing that Judeo-Christian values are under unprecedented assault.
The origin and price of the “God Bless the USA” Bibles still remain undisclosed. A hand-signed copy by Trump costs $1,000, however, the earnings from each sale are kept under wraps.
One variation of the $59.99 Bible commemorates an assassination attempt on Trump on July 13 in Pennsylvania. The cover carries Trump’s name with the phrase, “The Day God Intervened” imprinted after the Bible’s production.
Sales of this Bible are exclusive to an independent website that is not tied to any political campaign or owned by Trump.
The site states that the use of Trump’s name and image, licensed from his company CIC Ventures, have generated $300,000 in Bible sales royalties according to a disclosure.
Despite his strong criticism of Beijing, Trump has explored various for-profit ventures including these Bibles, diamond-studded watches, sneakers, photo books, cryptocurrency and digital trading cards. Ethicists like Claire Finkelstein, founder of the nonpartisan Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law, raise concerns of conflicts of interest and potential campaign finance violation. Selling these Bibles also poses questions about the division of religion and state.
As a former president, Trump has the potential to modify policies and markets to favor businesses where he and his family have financial interests. For example, during his presidency, his administration omitted Bibles from tariffs on Chinese goods.
China is a major global producer of Bibles, including the Trump-endorsed version. The initial delivery of Trump Bibles was labeled “God Bless USA” and shipped by New Ade Cultural Media, a custom Bible book manufacturer in Hangzhou, to Freedom Park Design, the identified importer of these Bibles. Details about the sales price and other specifics remain confidential at the client’s request.
The Trump Bible has faced backlash for merging religious texts with government documents, fueling Christian nationalism in evangelical churches and being blasphemous. Critics argue that such amalgamation prioritizes Christianity in public life, feeds the belief that the U.S. Constitution is divinely inspired, and advocates declaring the U.S. a Christian nation.
The low quality of the “God Bless the USA” Bible, apparent in the faux leather cover and poor printing, has also been criticized. The lack of copyright information and the identity of the printer have raised questions about the true motivation behind this venture.
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