Rep. Jonathan Jackson Calls on Trump to Address Minneapolis Tragedy During National Prayer Breakfast
During the 74th National Prayer Breakfast held on Thursday in Washington, D.C., Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) delivered a prayer that directly addressed President Donald Trump, who was standing just feet behind him on the dais. In a moment that has drawn significant attention, Rep. Jackson called for the President to be mindful of the suffering of specific American families, referencing a recent controversial event in Minneapolis.
As President Trump stood with his eyes closed, Rep. Jackson prayed, “We pray that he would be mindful of the poor and the suffering of families preparing to bury loved ones in Minneapolis.” He further asked for divine guidance to remind the President “that he has the power to turn mourning into dancing or to reduce the country into a cosmic elegy of chaos and suffering.”
The comments were a direct reference to a recent federal immigration operation in Minneapolis involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The operation, which has sparked protests and significant unrest in the city, resulted in the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens, identified as Renée Good and Alex Pretti.
The National Prayer Breakfast, traditionally a bipartisan event designed to foster unity among political leaders through faith, has seen increasing political tension in recent years. Rep. Jackson, the son of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, served as a co-chair for this year’s gathering alongside Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA). The event took place at the Washington Hilton, marking a return to the venue after a split in previous years between events held at the Capitol and off-site locations.
Video footage of the prayer shows President Trump listening quietly as Jackson spoke. The Congressman’s invocation also urged the administration to be “invested in the alleviation of suffering happening on farms in the Midwest,” broadening his appeal for compassionate governance.
The direct nature of the prayer, delivered in such close proximity to the President, underscores the heightened political divisions surrounding the administration’s current enforcement policies. While the breakfast is intended to be a respite from partisan conflict, Jackson’s words highlighted the immediate and contentious issues facing the executive branch.
