Trump’s “God Bless the USA” Bibles Printed in China Amidst Anti-China Campaign Rhetoric

Thousands of “God Bless the USA” Bibles, branded with former President Donald Trump‘s name and sold for $59.99 each, have been printed in China, a nation Trump has often criticized for alleged unfair trade practices. Documents reviewed by The Associated Press reveal that a printing company in Hangzhou, China, shipped approximately 120,000 Bibles to the United States between early February and late March. The estimated value of these shipments was $342,000, suggesting a production cost of less than $3 per Bible. With a retail price of $59.99, the potential sales revenue from the Bibles could reach around $7 million.

The Trump Bible, a product of a partnership with country singer Lee Greenwood, includes not only the King James Bible text but also key American documents such as the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. These Bibles were intended to bolster Trump’s image and align with his campaign themes, despite being manufactured in China—an inconsistency with his anti-China political stance. Trump has often railed against China, proposing significant tariffs on Chinese imports as part of his campaign platform for the upcoming presidential election.

While Trump has suggested a potential 60% tariff on all Chinese imports, applying such a tariff to the “God Bless the USA” Bible would increase its price from $59.99 to $95.98. The Trump campaign has refrained from commenting on this matter. The largest shipment of these Bibles arrived at the Port of Los Angeles on March 28, shortly after Trump announced the partnership with Greenwood via his Truth Social platform. In his promotional video, Trump associated the Bible with his “Make America Great Again” slogan, invoking a return to religious values amid claims that these are under attack.

The website selling the Bibles claims no official affiliation with Trump’s campaign, stating the use of his image and name under a paid license from CIC Ventures, a company Trump reportedly owns. This venture has already earned $300,000 from Bible sales royalties, according to his financial disclosure, though it remains unclear just how much Trump has received overall.

The production of these Bibles in China stands in stark contrast to Trump’s rhetoric against China, highlighting potential conflicts of interest given his financial entanglements and advocacy for policies that may favor his business ventures. Claire Finkelstein, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, remarked on this issue, suggesting that selling Bibles could mix religious sentiment with commercial gain to the potential detriment of established ethical boundaries.

With Oklahoma recently considering the purchase of these Bibles for public schools, citing an effort to integrate religious materials into education, questions about domestic production have emerged. However, Dan Isett, a spokesperson for Oklahoma’s Department of Education, indicated that a wide competition among Bible publishers is anticipated.

Trump’s continued engagement in various commercial enterprises, including the sale of these Bibles, draws attention to the complex intersections of business and politics in his campaign strategies.