A group of evangelical women prayed over Donald Trump by laying hands on him when he unexpectedly appeared at their event in his Washington D.C. hotel.
Video shows Trump in the center of the group of at least a dozen women, all with heads bowed and arms outstretched toward him or touching his shoulders in prayer.
‘Holy Father, we thank you so much for this evening. We thank you for this man of God. We thank you for his courage of standing up when others would rather stay seated,’ one woman led the prayer as the others called out in agreement.
‘Father, we ask you that you protect him. That you to lift him up, that you give him strength and know that he must be tired at times. And we just pray that you give him power like none other. We love him, we hold him up, and we thank you. Amen.’
The event took place at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D. C., but was not on the president’s agenda for the day, blog 1100 Pennsylvania revealed.
Trump made the appearance with televangelist and his longtime faith adviser Paula White as he continues to aggressively pursue evangelical and religious voters, having held a rally in Miami and being the first sitting president to attend a March for Life.
President Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance Wednesday at his Trump International Hotel in D.C. where evangelical women prayed over him
The president spoke in front of the crowd while standing at a podium inscribed with the Trump Hotels insignia, rather than the presidential seal
One pro-life activist and ministry leader at the event said the group had ‘no idea’ Trump would be in attendance and the president’s agenda from the day made no note of the reception, either
Trump posed with Illinois-based activist Yvonne Florczak–Seeman, who is president of Taking Back Our Power – Protectors of Women’s Equal Rights group, and advocates that ‘abortion hurt’
The White House press office’s schedule for Wednesday said the president was at his hotel to deliver ‘remarks at a Fundraising Committee Reception’, but was seen on video obtained by DailyMail.com speaking in front of a room of women from Be Still Ministries and Love From Above Inc.
Trump was accompanied by his faith adviser Paula White, who stirred up controversy last month after calling for ‘all satanic pregnancies to miscarry’
According to one woman in attendance, Rachel Faulkner Brown, the group had ‘no idea’ Trump was coming to their reception.
Faulkner Brown, an Atlanta-based speaker for Be Still Ministries and pro-life activist, posted to Instagram about Trump’s visit and referenced the prayer circle.
‘We prayed tonight for @realdonaldtrump because we all need to be prayed for, we all need to be loved and we all will thrive in freedom. Hail to the Chief tonight…WHAT A DAY! #ifyoudonthavelifeyoucanhaveliberty #vote #prolife,’ she wrote.
The president spoke in front of the crowd while standing at a podium inscribed with the Trump Hotels insignia, rather than the presidential seal.
He appears to have spoken about the ‘founder of ISIS’, calling him a ‘tough character’ that you ‘don’t find too easily’.
He then thanked his supporters and gave a special thank you to evangelical preacher Paula White, who is in her third marriage to Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain.
White made remarks as well, gushing about her decades-long friendship with Trump and told of how he would pray with her family for hours at a time before she called for ‘four more years’.
‘This is a longtime relationship, this is not a political relationship, this is a genuine family relationship that I love to tell about the man who’s now leading the free world as President of the United States.
White joined the White House in an official capacity in October, advising the president’s Faith and Opportunity Initiative and handling outreach to religious groups.
Just last month White was hit with backlash after calling for ‘all satanic pregnancies to miscarry right now’ during a sermon.
White, pictured with activist Yvonne Florczak–Seeman, made remarks during the reception, gushing about her decades-long friendship with the president
Women from the Taking Back Our Power – Protectors of Women’s Equal Rights group posed with to evangelical preacher Paula White
Rachel Faulkner Brown (left), a speaker for Be Still Ministries and pro-life activist, posted to Instagram about Trump’s appearance and referenced the prayer circle
The women at Wednesday night’s event posed for a picture with Candy Carson (center), the wife of Dr. Ben Carson, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Also at the reception was Chicago suburb-based public speaker Yvonne Florczak–Seeman, of Love From Above Inc., which brands itself as ‘not pro-life, nor pro-choice, but pro-women’, but speaks about how ‘abortion hurts’.
Florczak–Seeman is also president of Taking Back Our Power – Protectors of Women’s Equal Rights group and was joined by other members with the mission to ’empower and educate women on their inherent, fundamental human dignity.’
Faulkner Brown captioned her post from the night’s events: ‘Tonight I was in a room with the POTUS and precious @PaulaMichelleWhite sat at our table. I’m just not even sure what to say…but what I can say is ONLY JESUS and I am so so PROUD to BE AN AMERICAN.
‘I always have been but this is next level and my freedoms as a ministry leader are being protected because this man is not afraid,’ she wrote.
Be Still Ministries, according its website, began as an ‘intimate monthly gathering centered around stories and prayer’ but has has since expanded into ‘workshops, retreats, and curriculum that have crossed state lines into Georgia, Colorado, Maryland, and South Carolina.’
‘The ministry exists to create a hunger and thirst for the gospel of grace and for every daughter to know she is His favorite,’ the site states.