President Donald Trump has suggested that brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine could improve his standing with God—and even help him reach heaven.
Speaking on Fox & Friends after hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House, Trump said: “If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s pretty— I want to try to get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing that I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”
The president, who identifies as a non-denominational Christian, has previously said he believes eternal life depends on doing good. In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham last year, he explained: “If I’m good, I’m going to heaven, and if I’m bad, I’m going someplace else—like over there, right?”
Trump has repeatedly expressed his ambition to end the conflict that began more than three and a half years ago. He has also suggested that such a breakthrough would make him deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. “I should have won it a long time ago,” he said in earlier remarks, insisting he has done more than any U.S. president to ease tensions around the world.
Last week, Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska for their first face-to-face meeting since 2019. Talks focused on what it would take for Moscow to begin peace negotiations with Kyiv. So far, Putin has rejected an immediate ceasefire, while European leaders and Trump have signaled strong support for one.
Despite setbacks, Trump told supporters he is determined to secure a deal. “If I can do this, it will be one of the greatest achievements in history. It will save lives, it will save families, and it will save nations,” he said.