Donald Trump has always cared a lot about how people see him. From his real estate days to the White House, he worked to project a tough and untouchable persona. But underneath it all, there are signs he is worried about how history and even God will judge him.
At first, his recent remark about heaven sounded like one of his usual jokes. But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested otherwise. “I think the president was serious. I think the president wants to get to heaven, as I hope we all do in this room, as well,” posted on X.
A recent South Park episode also shed light on Trump’s sensitivity to how he is perceived. The show portrayed him in bed with Satan. The White House dismissed it as “irrelevant,” but a source told Deadline the President was privately upset. For a man who thrives on appearing unshakable, that reaction says a lot.
HOLY SHIT: Karoline Leavitt says Trump is 100% serious about fearing he’ll burn in hell — and believes peace in Ukraine could be his ticket to heaven.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) August 19, 2025
Something tells me Trump cares more about a Nobel Peace Prize. Good luck avoiding that reserved spot next to Jeffrey Epstein. https://t.co/nXGC4y2n7S pic.twitter.com/Mm8scLdRHu
The next morning, after hosting European leaders at the White House, Trump went on Fox & Friends to discuss the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Out of nowhere, he added a personal comment that caught viewers off guard. “I want to try and get to heaven, if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I hear I’m really at the bottom of the totem pole.”
The remark brought attention back to Trump’s complicated relationship with religion. In 2015, he called the Bible his “favorite book” but sidestepped when asked to name a specific verse during a Bloomberg interview. That moment raised doubts about whether his faith was genuine or simply political branding.
BREAKING: Trump claims that he’s not doing so well trying to get to Heaven and says he’s at the bottom of the totem poll.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) August 19, 2025
Of course he is. He’s on the Epstein list, molested a woman and committed 34 felonies, while being found liable for fraud. pic.twitter.com/n3PThdh36j
Those questions resurfaced in 2024 when Trump began promoting a United States-themed Bible. The move was criticized as a publicity stunt, with evangelical pastor Loran Livingston arguing that it was done to boost his public image.
Still, this is not the first time Trump has shown concern about legacy and loss. In 2021, after a year of setbacks, he reportedly told aides he feared being remembered as a failure. Even though he rarely admits vulnerability in public, moments like these suggest it weighs on him.
A line about heaven may seem like typical Trump, quick and playful. But it also fits a pattern. He wants to be seen as powerful, respected, and even righteous. That is not just about politics. It is about how he will be remembered.
For someone who values control above all else, the idea of judgment, whether from voters, historians, or something higher, seems to hit harder than he lets on.
