On August 24th, President Donald Trump addressed Republicans in Ohio. As Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale first observed on Twitter, Trump deviated from his prepared remarks in a telling way.
The prepared remarks read, “Republicans are rebuilding our country. We believe in the dignity of work, the power of freedom, and we believe in the truth of our national motto, In God We Trust."
What the President actually said to Republicans, according to the C-Span transcript, is, "We believe in the dignity of work, the power of freedom, and we believe in the truth of our national motto, which a lot of people don't like using. Did you see some court ruled against it the other day? ‘In God We Trust.’”
Trump's ad-lib makes it sound like Christianity is under attack.
Dale spoke with two experts on the separation of church and state, and neither could recall recent court rulings against the use of 'In God We Trust."
Contrary to President Trump's assertion that the nation's motto is under attack, Florida recently passed a law requiring all public schools to display the religious motto.