Oklahoma has retracted its request to stock classrooms with a version of the Bible that appeared designed to benefit former President Donald Trump.
Last week, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters opened bidding for suppliers to fill a request for 55,000 Bibles to be placed in public schools throughout the state. Originally, Walters required the leather-bound or leatherlike-bound Bibles to be the King James Version, including the Old Testament and New Testament, as well as copies of the Pledge of Allegiance, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. No Bibles fit these criteria except for two that Trump has been linked to and endorsed: Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA Bible and the We the People Bible.
The incident drew suspicion and mockery, especially as the Bibles Trump endorsed are several times more expensive than most, retailing at $60 and $90, respectively. In response, Oklahoma changed the requirements on Monday.
The new criteria do not include the American founding documents and extend the deadline from Oct. 14 to Oct. 21.
Despite the backtracking, Walters maintained the overlap was a pure coincidence. In a video message posted to X, he said he will ensure that the Bible-supplying process is “fair and transparent.”
Liberal media hysteria explained in a way that even they can understand. pic.twitter.com/C0bA299dH0
— Superintendent Ryan Walters (@RyanWaltersSupt) October 7, 2024
Walters spokesman Dan Isett told the Associated Press in a statement that the Office of Management and Enterprise Services suggested the amendment to the clarifications, to which Walters agreed.
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“Unfortunately, there have been false reports that have been repeated by numerous, supposedly credible, news organizations that the state’s RFP was catered to one specific organization,” Isett said.
OMES spokeswoman Christa Helfrey said the change was made in order to save money. The $3 million budget allocation would not have reached the $3.3 million to $4.95 million required to purchase the only two Bibles that would have met the initial requirements.