“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle,” former President Donald Trump posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. “Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.”
The post, which was accompanied by an image of 17th century artist Guido Reni’s painting depicting the Archangel Michael standing on the head of Satan, was the quotation of the Roman Catholic “Prayer to Saint Michael.”
“May God rebuke [the Devil], we humbly pray,” the prayer continues, “and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
The prayer dates back to 1884, when Pope Leo XIII introduced a group of prayers into Catholic liturgy. “Prayer to Saint Michael” became a part of Catholic Mass at a time when geopolitical instability in Europe threatened the sovereignty of the Holy See.
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Trump posted the prayer on Sept. 29, which is when Western Christian liturgical calendars observe Michaelmas, also known as the Feast of the Archangels.
While not all of Trump’s followers understood the reference, many of them were nonetheless supportive of the sentiment.
“Make no mistake, our nation is under spiritual attack,” said conservative commentator Liz Wheeler. “Politics isn’t just politics…it’s a battle of good versus evil, spiritual warfare. I’m glad Pres. Trump recognizes this. May God have mercy on our nation.”
One person posted an illustration of Jesus Christ standing behind Trump in the Oval Office. Someone else commented with an AI-generated graphic of Trump in a suit with the sleeves torn off, exposing muscular arms, and holding kittens—a reference to debunked reports that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, have been abducting and eating their neighbors’ household pets.
Another AI image depicted Trump praying at a vigil. Others depicted him dressed in papal garments and crusader armor.
“Say what you will about Trump, but a lot of people are going to pray to St. Michael for the first time because of this tweet,” one person said.
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