Trump's prosperity gospel spiritual adviser says God gave her a 'direct assignment' to help the president

Prosperity gospel pastor Paula White, a controversial figure even among conservative evangelicals, has told The Guardian that she believes God has instructed her to serve as President Donald Trump's spiritual adviser.

"I encounter thousands of people, millions of people, over the course of ministry, but there’s been a handful of people that I knew was like, this was direct assignment," White explained to The Guardian, before confirming that Trump was indeed one of the people whom God had asked her to help.

White has faced withering criticism from other Christian leaders for her "heretical" teachings about the relationship between spiritual belief and material wealth. She has also told her followers that they should regularly send her money as a way to make God happy.

For example, White last year launched a “First Fruits” campaign on her website that asked her followers to send her a significant chunk of money as a way to earn God's favor. White has also in the past sold her followers “resurrection seeds” that she claims will grant them eternal life for the low price of just $1,144.