Former President Donald Trump expressed enthusiastic support for displaying the Ten Commandments in public and private schools, calling for a “religious revival” in the U.S.
Trump made the comments on Friday via his proprietary social media platform, Truth Social, following high profile stories covering Louisiana’s recent mandate to display the text in schools.
“I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER. READ IT — HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG???” Trump asked in the post, which was typed in all caps.
Former President Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at Racine Festival Park in Wisconsin. (Taylor Glascock for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Trump continued, “THIS MAY BE, IN FACT, THE FIRST MAJOR STEP IN THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION, WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED, IN OUR COUNTRY. BRING BACK TTC!!! MAGA2024.”
Louisiana is the first state to require the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom after Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill into law Wednesday.
Under the legislation, H.B. 71, a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” is required in all public classrooms, from kindergartens to state-funded universities. Over the weekend, Landry touted the bill at a fundraiser in Tennessee.
The displays, which will be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025.
TEXAS LT. GOV. DAN PATRICK PLEDGES TO PASS TEN COMMANDMENTS BILL AFTER LOUISIANA PASSES SIMILAR LAW
A monument bearing an inscription of the Ten Commandments, erected in 1956, is pictured in the Central Park of Albert Lea, Minnesota. (David Brewster/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
The Ten Commandments are a list of decrees believed to have been revealed by God to the Jewish prophet Moses on Mount Sinai, outlining fundamental ethical laws.
The first and most important commandment is to acknowledge God’s nature as supreme deity of the universe, while subsequent commandments include directives not to kill, steal, commit adultery, or covet the goods of another. Other commandments direct humanity to honor the Sabbath and respect one’s parents.
Critics accuse the law of violating the First Amendment by compelling religious texts in public institutions.
The American Civil Liberties Union has already announced their intention to challenge the mandate — pointing to a previous U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kentucky in 1980, in which the high court struck down a similar mandate for the display of the Ten Commandments outside courthouses on First Amendment grounds.
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A man wears a hat that reads “Make America Gospel Again” as he joins a group of pro-life supporters in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has pledged to pass a Ten Commandments mandate in his own state, and Oklahoma lawmakers are considering a similar bill.
Trump’s comments on the need for a “religious revival” in the U.S. are some of his most stridently pro-religious remarks to date.
Trump’s policy agenda and respect for Evangelical Christians’ concerns has made him a popular choice for religious-minded voters, but the former president has remained vague about the specifics of his own beliefs.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
