Trump's spiritual adviser faces scrutiny over her fundraising appeals for Israel projects.
Paula White-Cain, President Donald Trump's personal spiritual adviser and head of the White House Faith Office, has urged her followers to tithe 10% of their gross income to her ministry, which partly funds humanitarian and reconstruction projects in Israel.
White-Cain made the appeal in a YouTube video published on Sunday, framing the practice as an act of obedience to God rather than a voluntary gesture. She specifically highlighted that donor money had helped rebuild infrastructure at a moshav near the Gaza border that was devastated in the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks.
The Tithe Appeal: What White-Cain Said
In the video, White-Cain said: 'I believe that it's so important to honor God with his tithe. An offering, that's free will.' She then told viewers that giving to her ministry over the past four years had contributed to rebuilding a moshav in Israel: 'You have helped build a moshav in a village in Israel from the horrific attacks of October 7th. And the greatest thing you do is take the gospel around the world.'The ministry she directs, Paula White Ministries, confirms on its website that it has partnered with CityServe Israel to assist Moshav Ein HaBesor, an agricultural cooperative roughly three miles from the Gaza border. The partnership has provided school equipment for the reopening of a preschool, washing machines for displaced residents, a security drone, and counselling and medical access for elderly residents.
The ministry is also currently fundraising to construct a sports complex at the site, which it describes as a therapeutic response to trauma: 'Fifty percent of the children in this community, 500 children right here, have been severely traumatised. And the antidote to trauma is to get kids playing.' The complex would include soccer fields, pickleball and tennis courts, basketball courts, and a recreational facility for children.
A Pattern of Donation Solicitation Under Theological Cover
The tithe appeal is not an isolated incident. In March 2025, White-Cain released a Passover season video promising followers 'seven supernatural blessings' if they gave to her ministry, with a suggested donation of £790 ($1,000) for a premium gift tier that included a Waterford crystal cross. That solicitation drew condemnation from pastors and Christian commentators, with country singer Stella Parton publicly calling it a 'grifter scam.'In a separate earlier instance documented by the Christian Post, White-Cain urged her congregation to donate an entire month's salary as a 'first fruits' offering at the start of January, warning of 'consequences' for those who failed to comply.
Her ministry later issued a statement clarifying that she was describing her own personal practice and had not commanded others to donate a month's pay to her ministry specifically.
Conservative Trump supporter Jon Root told NOTUS: 'Anybody that you know holds true to strong biblical conviction and discernment wouldn't be involved with Paula White.'
Her Israel Advocacy and Role Within the Administration
White-Cain's support for Israel is longstanding and well-documented. In 2020, the Israel Allies Foundation and The Jerusalem Post recognised her as one of Israel's top 50 Christian allies. The Jerusalem Post subsequently ranked her ninth on its list of ten leading Christian Zionists, noting that she frames US policy moves such as recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital as prophetic fulfilment, and that she has hosted Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on her broadcasts.In April 2025, White-Cain met Netanyahu in Washington for a 40-minute video interview. The same month, Trump praised her at a White House Ramadan dinner as 'somebody who's done an incredible job with faith.' Her ministry's own website published an address she delivered following the October 2023 attacks, in which she said: 'There are many people that hate to stand with Israel. It is an antichrist spirit.' She called on her audience to donate to Paula White Ministries or to Israel 365 Charity.
She has also worked closely with John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel, described as the largest Christian Zionist organisation in the world. Critics argue that her role in the administration conflates private religious fundraising with official government faith advisory work, raising questions about the boundaries of her dual position.
White-Cain has not publicly responded to the latest round of criticism surrounding the Israel tithe video.
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Trump Shares Bizarre Letter About His Own Death — With Stark Warning That Only Christ's 'Shed Blood' Can Save Him
Donald Trump has shared a letter from evangelist Franklin Graham discussing the fate of his own soul after death, in which Graham warned that salvation comes only through 'the shed blood of Jesus Christ'. Trump posted the correspondence, dated 15 October 2025, on Truth Social on Palm Sunday, a key date in the Christian calendar marking Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.The letter was written by Graham in response to Trump's public remarks about whether he would reach heaven, and its publication has drawn renewed attention to the long-standing relationship between Trump and prominent evangelical leaders. It has also prompted widespread discussion about religion, mortality, and the role of evangelical faith in American political life.
Evangelical Leader Addresses Trump's Comments About Heaven
The letter was written by Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse. Graham sent the message after Trump publicly joked that he might not be 'heaven bound.''This week you commented to the media that you might not be heaven bound,' Graham wrote. 'Maybe you responded in jest, but it is an important issue to know for certain that your soul is secure and will spend eternity in the presence of God.'
Graham's message outlined a core tenet of evangelical Christian belief. 'The only One who can save us from Hell is Jesus Christ,' he wrote, adding that 'the only way to Heaven is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.' According to Graham, Christian salvation is not earned through achievements or good works but through faith in Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. He referenced the biblical passage Romans 10:9, which states that those who confess Jesus as Lord and believe in his resurrection 'will be saved.'
Trump's Public Reflections on Death and the Afterlife
This exchange follows several public remarks by Trump about his prospects in the afterlife. During a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One in 2025, Trump joked that he was unsure whether he would make it to heaven. 'I don't think there's anything gonna get me in heaven. I really don't,' he said, speaking partly in jest.Weeks later, Trump appeared more confident during remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. 'I was just having fun,' he said of his earlier comment. 'I really think I probably should make it. I mean, I'm not a perfect candidate, but I did a hell of a lot of good for perfect people.'
Trump's comments about death and the afterlife have drawn attention partly because of his age (he is now in his late seventies) and partly because religion has long played a powerful role in his political coalition. In recent years he has occasionally spoken about the subject at rallies and public events, sometimes reflecting on his parents and saying he believes they are 'in heaven.'
A Longstanding Alliance With Evangelical Christianity
Franklin Graham is one of the most prominent evangelical leaders in the United States and the son of the late Billy Graham, the globally known Christian evangelist who advised multiple American presidents. Graham has been a vocal supporter of Trump for more than a decade and has frequently praised his leadership in political and religious contexts.He delivered an invocation at Trump's presidential inauguration in January 2025, thanking God for the election result and urging prayers for national leaders. Exit polls from recent US elections have consistently shown that white evangelical voters form one of Trump's most loyal constituencies, and faith leaders aligned with the movement have often framed Trump's presidency in religious terms, describing his political victories as evidence of divine providence.
Graham has frequently emphasised the importance of Christian faith in public life. In a sermon delivered during White House Easter events in 2025, he stressed the belief that salvation comes through Christ's death on the cross and the shedding of his blood for humanity's sins.
Faith, Politics, and the Power of Religious Messaging
The publication of Graham's letter on Truth Social has drawn attention to the intersection of religious language and American political discourse. For many evangelical Christians, the theological concept referenced in the letter, the idea that Christ's sacrificial death provides redemption, is central to their faith and reflects a doctrine that has shaped Protestant theology for centuries.At the same time, critics argue that the close alliance between political leaders and religious figures risks blurring the boundary between faith and governance. Trump has increasingly referenced religion in speeches and statements, particularly since surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
For supporters, Graham's letter serves as a spiritual affirmation of Trump's life and legacy. For others, it highlights the enduring influence of evangelical leaders in shaping the public narrative around the president.
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