On November 6, Pastor Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), publicly congratulated President-elect Donald J. Trump on winning the presidential election in a Facebook post, stating, “I pray that you look to God every day for His guidance and wisdom.”
November 7, 2024, was also the birthday of Billy Graham, Franklin Graham’s father. On this day, Franklin shared a photo of Trump with his late father, commenting:
Donald J. Trump congratulating my father Billy Graham on his 95th birthday! My father’s earthly birthday is November 7. He would have been 106 today! His greatest passion was proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ—his faith became sight in 2018 when he went home to heaven.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Graham has closely followed the election this year, describing it as a spiritual battle, saying it is "the most important election in the history of our nation. America is under attack by an immoral, anti-God agenda that would like to change our country foundationally forever. The choice is clear, and you are responsible for how you vote."
Graham appears to have consistently supported Trump this election season. At a rally in Concord, North Carolina, on October 21, he expressed admiration for Trump’s energy in rallying supporters, although he cautioned that rallies and positive polling alone weren’t enough to win. "Rallies and positive polling data cannot win this election; it requires God."
"There’s a spiritual element at work here," he warned. "Dark forces are working against this man. They’ve tried to imprison him, and there have been two assassination attempts. He faces daily attacks in the media, and the only hope for Donald J. Trump and our nation is God."
Graham revealed that he personally encouraged President Trump to ask for God’s help each morning, saying, "If he does so, God will hear and answer his prayers." He also cited Psalm 20:7: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."
Graham then led the rally attendees in a brief, communal prayer, encouraging them to pray for Trump in their hearts, asking God to grant him wisdom, protection, and guidance, and to bless the nation once again.
Praying aloud, Graham humbly acknowledged the nation’s sins and asked for forgiveness. He prayed for Trump and his family, adding, "Father, we pray for our country, and if it is Your will, may President Trump win this election. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen."
Previously, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July, Trump had expressed respect for Franklin Graham, recalling how his late father, Fred, had taken him to a Billy Graham Crusade as a child.
Trump described Franklin Graham as an "outstanding man…a great gentleman…I have a lot of respect for him."
