How to pray for Donald J. Trump following the attempt on his life? As a Christian, I'm duty-bound to pray for my enemies as deeply as I pray for my friends, which is enough of a challenge. But the specifics of the prayer were a unique conundrum.
I mean, had he been seriously or critically hurt, and hospitalized, that would have been straightforward. I'd have prayed for his recovery, and for his doctors, and for healing for the nation. That was the simple prayer offered back when he was afflicted with COVID, and things looked touch and go for a while. Had he died, that would also have been straightforward, prayers for the disposition of his soul and again, for the healing of the nation.
But Donald J. Trump is fine.
He could have died, yes, but he did not.
He was aggressive before, he was more aggressive after. His injury, such as it was, was the sort of thing one might get in a moderate fall. It was of less import than a sprained ankle, and far less of an impediment to his life. Nor did his response indicate any meaningful psychological trauma, or any reaction other than unshakable defiance and an even deeper conviction of his own special place in history.
I shared this observation during a conversation with a Trump supporter yesterday after church, and they agreed. "He's fine," they said.
In point of fact, he is stronger after the attempt than he was before the attempt, and he knows it.
He is just as physically healthy, albeit with a surface wound to his ear. He is far socially stronger, as the "iconic" images of his deeply ingrained fight response have cemented the messianic convictions of his most fervent supporters. Their collective victim-narrative is now sealed in his own blood, so to speak.
He will step into the Republican convention this next week as a bloodied and unbowed hero, fist raised in defiance, and be received with roars of adulation.
He isn't in mourning, or in shock. He's fine, and feeling fine. He is reveling in this moment, the purest gift to a consummate showman.
That's not a partisan assessment, but the simple reality.
So my prayers were simpler. For healing for his ear, such as it is. For the disposition of his soul, as always. And, particularly, for the future of this country, and a turning away from the bitter spirit of violence that so blights us all.
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