President Donald Trump paused during a restaurant stop in Iowa after a patron made an unscripted request that quickly turned into a public moment of prayer, underscoring a growing emphasis on faith, national repentance and spiritual protection as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
Video shared on X by White House aide Margo Martin shows the exchange unfolding inside the Machine Shed restaurant, where a man from the crowd addressed the president directly before his remarks near Des Moines.
Patron in Machine Shed restaurant in Iowa prays over President Trump 🙏🏼🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/OOG4uUZ0v5
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) January 27, 2026
“Can I pray for you real quick?” the man asked.
“Absolutely! Come on. Let’s go,” Trump replied, bowing his head as the prayer began.
The brief prayer, as reported by Fox News, thanked God for the president and asked for wisdom, discernment, peace and protection, drawing audible participation from others in the restaurant.
“Lord God, we give thanks for this president,” the man prayed. “Lord, thank you for him and the potential. Thank you for continuing wisdom, we pray for discernment. Pray for hope, we pray for more peace, Lord.”
Several in the crowd responded with “Amens” as the prayer concluded, followed by applause and words of praise, including “Amen” and “Praise God.”
The unscripted moment occurred as Trump made a stop at the Iowa restaurant before delivering a speech in the Des Moines area, kicking off his 2026 midterm campaign efforts.
However, a crucial portion of the prayer, difficult to hear in the video and not included in Fox News’ written account, adds significant spiritual and theological weight to the moment. Near the end of the prayer, the man also asked God for protection “against the world, battles of the flesh and all principalities,” language drawn directly from biblical teachings on spiritual warfare.
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For many Christians, the reference to “principalities” is not symbolic rhetoric but a clear acknowledgment of unseen spiritual forces that Scripture teaches are actively opposed to God’s purposes and those in positions of authority. The phrase mirrors New Testament warnings that leadership is not merely contested on political or ideological grounds but within a broader spiritual battlefield.
The inclusion of that line is particularly striking given that Trump has faced multiple attempts on his life, underscoring why prayers for protection extend beyond physical security to spiritual covering. For believers, asking God to guard a national leader against both visible threats and unseen forces reflects a conviction that the challenges facing leadership are multidimensional.
The prayer moment also aligns with a broader White House initiative encouraging national prayer and spiritual re-dedication ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.
In a statement released by the administration, Trump encouraged Americans to pray for the nation and its people, saying the country has long been “sustained and strengthened by prayer.”
As the milestone approaches, Trump urged Americans to “rededicate ourselves to one nation under God,” calling for reflection not only on the country’s founding but on its spiritual foundations.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
