One rose from the dead, the other is trying to rise up from his legal troubles.
Former President Donald Trump shared a note from a fan that likened his legal woes to the persecution of Jesus Christ ahead of Easter Sunday this week.
“It’s ironic that Christ walked through His greatest persecution the very week they are trying to steal your property from you,” the message of support said, referencing Psalm 109:3–8. “Thank you again for taking the arrows intended for us. We love you.”
Trump, 77, shared the note on Truth Social Monday, writing: “Received this morning—Beautiful, thank you!”
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s post came as he appeared in Manhattan court for a hearing in the “hush money” criminal case against him — which the judge ruled would head to trial on April 15.
Trump is facing a 34-count indictment alleging he falsified business records to cover up payments made to former porn star Stormy Daniels and others to cover up claims of extramarital affairs in the lead-up to the 2016 election.
The 45th president has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. His lawyers had sought to dismiss the case due to a last minute document dump.
Amid his various legal troubles, Trump has repeatedly insisted, “I’m being indicted for you” and touted his criminal charges as a “badge of honor,” alleging that he’s the victim of political persecution.
“This is an election interference,” Trump declared during a presser after the court hearing.
Psalm 109:3–8, which his fan highlighted, says, “They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers, but I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. Set a wicked man over him, and let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few, And let another take his office.”
Trump is the first former or sitting president to face criminal charges in US history.
The Biden-Harris campaign quickly chastised him for invoking Jesus.
“He spent the weekend golfing, the morning comparing himself to Jesus, and the afternoon lying about having money he definitely doesn’t have,” spokesman James Singer chided in a statement.
Since taking the Republican Party by storm in 2015, Trump has carefully courted evangelical voters.
On Monday, Trump scored a key victory in a separate case, when a New York appeals court agreed to lower the bond he was required to post to appeal his $454 million civil fraud judgment. The court said he needed to instead post $175 million and gave him 10 days to do so.