So where does that Catholic influence
on Trump come from?

Thank you for posting this beautiful article. I know Must Reads are reserved for articles of a different tone, but in my humble opinion, this one should be included. A keeper.

A very encouraging article. No wonder the forces of evil work so hard against Donald Trump.

These days, of course, even with American Thinker, I find myself saying, “… If it’s true…“ However, this does have the ring of authenticity, and of course, the contrast of this conduct with the Bidens’ could not be more stark. I’m constantly amazed at my friends and family members who swallow hook line and sinker all this garbage about President Trump; yet don’t see any of the obvious problems with the Bidens. It’s really a kind of cognitive dissonance that these folks can’t see the facts staring them right in the face. Further to that, are the kids. You look at President Biden‘s children and it’s just disheartening; you look at Trump’s children, and they all seem grounded. I don’t think anybody is able to craft such a seamless public persona. And the guy has been investigated up down and sideways, so if there was something, I believe that it would have, by now, been made crystal clear. There just isn’t. He’s a successful guy that did well with a good inheritance and has tried to be ambitious, but also tried to play it straight, his whole life. I say, “tried.” Yes, he's had missteps, he’s done risky stuff that probably threw shade on a number of people, including people that invested in him and trusted him, but sometimes when you throw the dice, it comes up snake eyes. And that’s just the name of the investment game. The fact that Trump is a guy that brought a bunch of ventures to market that may or may not have been successful is kind of immaterial. Anybody that has any idea what New York real estate is like has to see this guy’s gotta be a master of compromise, with a great deal of business acumen and human understanding. If I were gonna be honest, I would say it’s too damn bad that the country has come to the point where we are voting in a mere real estate mogul as president, however, Abraham Lincoln is long gone. Truth be told, Trump is the kind of modern age yeoman-statesman, a kind of close to the ground guy, that I believe the Founders imagined when they envisioned the leaders of a representative republic. It’s a new age, and Trump seems to be among the masters of it. Look at Joe Biden. I rest my case.

Why is this so hard? Trump isn't on the side of the devil so why wouldn't he be friendly to Catholics? Now if we could just get the Pope on board, yes?

It comes from Melania, doesn't it? Isn't she Roman Catholic!?

#5, Slovenia was a Roman Catholic country historically, but Melania was born during the time of the very secular, Communist Yugoslavia, so I doubt that she had much religious upbringing.

I can't find the information now, but I read somewhere that Donald's mother, Mary had close relatives who were active in the local Presbyterian church in Scotland. Whether as elders or preachers, I don't know. But I'd wager that Donald Trump would correctly answer question #1 in the Shorter Westminster Catechism.

#6... I think that Catholics in the Soviet era, the communist era in central Europe, still met. They had to behave correctly, but you remember surely that Pope John Paul II was a Polish cleric.

Given that the Catholic Church is in direct conflict with the Dem agenda, it is not surprising.

It is interesting that there are no Muslims in Trumps inner circle. Coincidence or choice?

So what? While I have major problems with Catholic theology, being a Reformed Presbyterian myself, but I think it is a good thing, not a bad thing, that Trump may have Christian affections and beliefs. What's the problem?

fwiw my impression is that Melania's faith is very important to her. I have always thought it appeared all over her... As for DJT.... he feels like a brother. Monday cannot come too soon.

What a sweet article. It's odd that Trump was always pretty well liked by everyone until he ran for president and then people who used to like him came out with daggers drawn.

The last paragraph of Showalter's piece pulls it together. FTA - "Values matter. The Bidens clearly had none. But in light of this story, Catholics, and everyone else, can confidently view a presidency ahead from President Trump that is anchored in goodness." I tend to also think that President Trump is right with God, our Heavenly Father, especially as of July 13, 2024, in Butler, PA. If anyone still wonders if Divine Intervention is for real, replay the ballistics computer analysis (Sara Hooper, July 17, 2024) when the President turned his head to the right at the exact millisecond needed for the bullet to miss his head by less than a centimeter and only graze his ear. God brought Donald J Trump into His loving arms at exactly the right moment.

#6, don’t discount the possibility of Melanie’s religious upbringing. I lived in Ceausescu’s Romania for 3 years and the people there practiced their religion in secret. The proof is that, on Christmas Day 1989, upon news of the execution of Ceausescu and his wife, the people poured into the streets and celebrated Christmas openly for the first time in decades.

A truer Christian than the current Pope, and many of his curia.

I went to a Catholic Mass years ago because a girl that I was sweet on at the time invited me. I thought it majestic and interesting, but it would have been hard to convert this old Scots Presbyterian.

Indeed, this article is to be appreciated for an insight into the personal life of Donald John Trump, a child of God, a man, displaying his God-given gift of free will in a manner appropriate to teachings of Scripture to live a life of high morals and giving of self. Like all mortals, there are times when unfortunate/sinful choices in life are made, but through God’s gift of grace, salvation through faith in His Son, Jesus, mortals are forgiven if there is true repentance within one’s heart. President Trump’s mother was Presbyterian, his father Lutheran. Lutherans honor Mary as the Mother of God. Martin Luther believed Mary should be honored but did not “want to give her false attributes or idolatrous devotion, nor...to depreciate ‘her unique place in the whole of mankind, among which she has no equal’ as the Mother of God. ... She is called blessed not because of her own merit or worthiness, but because God bestowed this gift on her, doing this mighty work within her Himself. Luther states, ‘She does not say men shall speak all manner of good of her, praise her virtues, exalt her virginity or her humility, or sing of what she has done. But for this one thing alone, that God regarded her, will men call her blessed. [She] lays claim to nothing and counts only Him as great.’ ... Melanchthon agrees, ‘Even though she is worthy of the highest honor, nevertheless she does not want herself to be made equal with Christ but instead wants us to consider and follow her example.’” Mary’s last recorded words in the Bible are, “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5) Lutherans observe All Saints Day with more emphasis on remembering “those who have passed on with the sign of faith whose lives and deaths were mostly ordinary, but who are nonetheless important to us” rather than remembering “martyrs and heroes of the faith, since they already have their special days.” The Church Triumphant is filled with “quiet saints, some even known, loved and missed by us.” Lutherans remember that “only in Christ’s atoning sacrifice are we saved.” Whether through the influence of Catholics in his life, or the innate goodness of his own heart, Donald John Trump, child of God, President of the United States, is a man possessing many gifts from God and quite likely harbors a deep sense of gratitude and love for being so blessed in so many ways. May God’s holy angels surround President Trump, his family, and keep them safe.