U.S. President Donald Trump crashed a wedding at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Friday night, briefly greeting the newlyweds before shifting his attention to a conversation that made a guest uncomfortable.
The short exchange, captured on video and shared online by conservative radio host Eric Metaxas, prompted an immediate reaction from MAGA’s Christian supporters.
Highlights
- President Trump crashed a Mar-a-Lago wedding, greeting the couple before shifting to a conversation about getting into heaven.
- Trump pointed at conservative commentator Eric Metaxas, calling him ‘the guy who’s going to get me to heaven’ at the wedding.
- Metaxas said he’d like to discuss faith with Trump but felt a wedding wasn’t the right place for that conversation.
- MAGA Christian supporters criticized Metaxas for not seizing the moment to share the gospel with Trump at the event.
Trump approached the bride and groom, Mike and Sarah Wilkerson, as they posed for photos.
Trump greeted guests at a wedding, but soon started talking about getting into heaven
Image credits: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Wilkerson, founder of the Redemption Group Network, which supports churches in developing their ministries, held Trump’s attention for only a moment before the president turned toward Metaxas, who stood nearby.
Trump pointed at the longtime conservative commentator and announced that Metaxas was the one who could get him to heaven.
“This is the guy who's going to get you to heaven,” Trump can be heard saying, still looking at the groom in a video posted by Metaxas.
“I want to talk to him about getting to heaven,” Metaxas replied while shaking the president's hand and pointing back at him.
Image credits: Flickr/Gage Skidmore
Metaxas later wrote about his account on X, “I laughed and told him [Trump], ‘I’d really like to talk to you about that… but another time.’”
“Then I reminded him, ‘Don’t forget—you’re America’s Supercentennial President,’” he wrote.
Super Centennial refers to the fact that Trump will be the U.S. president when America celebrates its 250th anniversary. It will be celebrated on July 4, 2026.
The brief remark, delivered with a laugh, brought the exchange to a close.
The video picks up only fragments of the conversation, but Metaxas later wrote on social media that he felt a wedding was not the appropriate place for the discussion.
“Truthfully, I would love to have that conversation with him one day. But this wasn’t the place,” Metaxas said, and Christian MAGA fans online were not happy about that comment.
“Why do I feel like Paul and Jesus never would’ve said ‘this isn’t the place’ to talk about the gospel,” said one user on X.
Image credits: X
Another posted a meme that said, “Do you like to identify as a Christian but like to conveniently ignore virtually every teaching of Jesus? Ask your doctor if the Republican party is right for you.”
MAGA fans criticized Eric Metaxas for not discussing faith with Trump at the wedding
Image credits: X
“I’m sorry - did you just say you wanted to share the gospel with the president of the United States, but this wasn’t the place? Are you for real, right now?” a third person criticized Metaxas. “Imagine when you stand in front of Christ at the judgement and say this to Him.”
Other people trolled MAGA fans.
One user shared an image captioned, “ALL white Christian nationalists are at a moral crossroads. Which road will you choose. What are the odds?” The image showed Trump supporters being presented with two roads: “Admit you were conned,” or “support a pedophile.”
Image credits: X
This is not Trump’s first time mentioning heaven.
During an October conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump responded to questions about his diplomatic efforts in Russia and Ukraine by saying he doubted anything he had done would earn him a place in heaven.
“I don't think there's anything going to get me in heaven. I really don't. I think I'm not maybe heaven-bound. I may be in heaven right now as we fly on Air Force One,” Trump said.
He added, “I'm not sure I'm going to be able to make heaven, but I've made life a lot better for a lot of people.”
Friday’s wedding appearance fit into a familiar pattern for Trump, who has a history of dropping in on private events at his properties.
Image credits: X/@ericmetaxas
In 2021, Trump crashed a wedding at Mar-a-Lago and discussed his grievances.
“Y’know, I just got, I turned off the news, I get all these flash reports, and they’re telling me about the border, they’re telling me about China, they’re telling me about Iran—how’re we doing with Iran, howdya like that?” Trump said instead of toasting the couple.
At this latest wedding, Trump also complimented the couple and suggested their image could be used to promote one of his hotels.
Metaxas is a member of Trump's Religious Liberty Commission
Image credits: Facebook/Eric Metaxas
Metaxas serves as a member of the Religious Liberty Commission created by Trump this May.
The Commission aims to advise the Office of Faith at the White House and the Domestic Policy Council on U.S. religious liberty policies.