Anti-trans Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner has stirred up ire for saying God anointed Donald Trump to lead the nation. At a meeting of the White House Religious Liberty Commission, Turner led a prayer focused on thanking God for Trump. Related Nancy Mace rages over mentally ill ideology after school forced kid to read inclusive book Father, we thank you for our president, Donald J. Trump, Father God, whom you have anointed and appointed for this time, for such a time as this. Lord, thank you that the president prioritizes prayer, Father god that he sees the power, the importance, the priority of praying together as a people, as a country, as a nation. Father God, we lift up our president, Turner said. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The meeting took place at the Museum of the Bible and centered on dismantling the separation of church and state, with claims that religious students are villainized by it. Trump spoke at the gathering and said, To have a great nation, you have to have religion. I believe that so strongly.The group Republicans against Trump slammed Turners prayer. Its a cult, they wrote on social media. One writer mocked the idea that Trump is religious. Interesting that the Father would anoint someone who abuses woman, lies with nearly every word, and is fond of bullying people of color. Must have been a slow day for anointing. Oh, and the Antichrist prioritizes prayer? Well, thats news! Interesting that the Father would anoint someone who abuses woman, lies with nearly every word, and is fond of bullying people of color. Must have been a slow day for anointing.Oh, and the Antichrist prioritizes prayer? Well, that's news! https://t.co/FeuBblxOwM Paul Hughes-Cromwick (Pooge) (@cromwick) September 8, 2025Author Jennifer Erin Valent called the prayer a brash taking of the Lords name in vain that made her physically ill. Valent also referred to Trump as a man with an unrepentantly blackened soul.This brash taking of the Lord's name in vain by claiming His favorable anointing over a man with an unrepentantly blackened soul will never cease to make me feel physically ill. Nor should it. https://t.co/GDHGr4L22u Jennifer Erin Valent (@JenniferEValent) September 8, 2025 Many others pointed out the hypocrisy in Turners words.The clearest sign that your Christianity is not genuine is when you believe that the person who personifies everything that contradicts Christ's teachings and values is your idol. (@ChidiNwatu) September 8, 2025Theyll look the other way when it comes to the walking commandment breaker, as long as theyre able to curry favor and he says nice things about their religion. It doesnt matter that his actions are against everything Jesus stood for. Kimberly (@KimberlySuth) September 8, 2025So embarrassing they do realize he is an adulterer, a liar, a bully, a racist/fascist who cannot quote a single verse from the bible? Gulliver Gadfly (@GulliverGadfly) September 8, 2025 This is not the first time Turner has invoked religion in his political actions.In February, Turner told the HUD to stop enforcing a rule that bans discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in some housing and shelter programs administered by the department, saying that banning such discrimination is far-left gender ideology and that God wants the HUD to stop enforcing the rule.We, at this agency, are carrying out the mission laid out by President Trump on January 20th when he signed an executive order to restore biological truth to the federal government,He said in a statement at the time. This means recognizing there are only two sexes: male and female. It means getting government out of the way of what the Lord established from the beginning when he created man in His own image.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.