President Trump walked into the 68th Annual National Prayer Breakfast and quickly picked up newspapers with the headlines ‘Acquitted’ and ‘Trump Acquitted’ and showed them to the audience which included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"I don't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong, nor do I like people who say 'I pray for you' when you know that is not so," Trump said at the event Thursday.
Trump was referring to Pelosi’s claim that she was "prayerful" and that she prayed for the president during the impeachment process.
“As everybody knows, my family, our great country, and your president have been put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people. They have done everything possible to destroy us and by so doing, very badly hurt our nation. They know what they are doing is wrong, but they put themselves far ahead of our great country,” Trump said.
“I’m grateful to the people in this room for the love they show to religion, not one religion but many religions. They’re brave, they’re brilliant, they’re fighters, they like people – and sometimes they hate people, I’m sorry. I apologize. I’m trying to learn. It’s not easy. When they impeach you for nothing then you’re supposed to like them, it’s not easy folks, I do my best,” Trump said.
For the majority of his speech Trump focused on the importance of religious freedom, protecting prayer in schools, and the value of life in America.
“In everything we do, we are creating a culture that protects freedom and that includes religious freedom. As I said on Tuesday in the House chamber. In America, we don't punish prayer. We don't tear down crosses. We don't ban symbols of faith. We don't muzzle preachers. We don't muzzle pastors. In America, we celebrate faith. We cherish religion. We lift our voices in prayer. And we raise our sights to the glory of God.”