President Trump’s first scheduled public appearance after his acquittal on all articles of impeachment yesterday was at the National Prayer Breakfast. The speech was the sort of quasi-political, sorta-religion focused speech that presidents typically give at this even. He reprised themes from his State of the Union Address about the centrality of religion (and not of the “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual” horsesh** that is so prevalent today) in the American Experiment and the importance of the government protecting and nurturing the observance of faith rather than acting in hostility to it. The full remarks are at the end of the post but there were a couple of interesting ad libs that foreshadow what the next months will be like.

President Trump holding up newspapers with the headline ACQUITTED at the National Prayer Breakfast is my mood. 😁 pic.twitter.com/Q3eHkUwY34

— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) February 6, 2020

But this was the main departure from his prepared remarks.

Yeah he went there… 😎 pic.twitter.com/2mNsulIgKJ

— M3thods (@M2Madness) February 6, 2020

As everybody knows, my family, our great country, and your president have been put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people. They have done everything possible to destroy us, and, by so doing, have very badly hurt out nation.

They know what they are doing is wrong but they put themselves far ahead of our great country.

Weeks ago, and again yesterday, courageous Republican politicians and leaders had the wisdom, fortitude, and strength to do what everyone knows was right.

I don’t like people who use their faith for justification for doing what they know is wrong. Nor do I like people who say “I pray for you” when they know that that’s no so.

So many people have been hurt. And we can’t let that go on. I’ll be discussing that a little bit later at the White House.

Nancy Pelosi was on the dais and what Trump was clearly referring to was this travesty.

Nancy Pelosi is about as Catholic as my dog. She is a slimy detestable and public hypocrite who tries to use her faux piety as a cloak for pushing a uniformly anti-Christian agenda upon the nation. I don’t know what genius thought inviting her and and President Trump to this was a great idea but if they organizers thought this was going to result in Trump and Pelosi hugging it out and letting bygones be bygones they were terribly mistaken

After Arthur Brooks gives a speech urging people in the room to "love your enemies" and set aside "contempt" for those who disagree, Trump begins his remarks:

"Arthur, I don't know if I agree with you."

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 6, 2020

I can’t say that I approve of this at the National Prayer Breakfast, but his reaction is natural and completely understandable. President Trump has been under unprecedented attack by the Democrats, by the press, and by large swathes of the federal government for three years. Even a saint would be challenged to turn the other cheek after all of this.

President Trump’s full remarks