Former President Donald Trump-backed “God Bless the USA” Bibles were printed in China, according to the Associated Press, even as the Republican nominee has continuously criticized trade between the U.S. and China.
The “God Bless the USA Bible,” named after the Lee Greenwood song frequently played at Trump rallies, touts itself as the “only Bible endorsed by President Trump.” While the website for the Bible says it is not affiliated with a political campaign, the product has become known as the “Trump Bible,” given his role in promoting it.
Global trade records obtained by the AP indicate that about 120,000 copies of the Republican nominee’s “God Bless the USA” Bible were shipped from China’s eastern city of Hangzhou to the U.S. between early February and late March.
The estimated value of the shipments was less than $3 per Bible, or $342,000 altogether, according to the news outlet. The minimum cost for the “Trump Bible” is $59.99, putting the potential sales revenue at about $7 million.
Many Bibles are printed in China, but the revelation appears in contrast with Trump’s political stance on the country. The Trump campaign did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
More: Biden sends message to China ― and working-class voters ― with tariff threat
Donald Trump critical of trade with China, wants to pass barriers to trade
During Trump’s presidency, the U.S. and China were in a years-long trade war, which was apparently paused with a trade deal at the beginning of 2020. Later that year, he criticized the Chinese government for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and called it the “Chinese virus,” which many have considered racist and dangerous to Asian Americans, USA TODAY previously reported.
The Republican platform for the 2024 election calls for phasing out imports of essential goods from China and stopping Chinese investment in American real estate and industries.
On the campaign trail, Trump speaks of China as a U.S. competitor, calling to get more manufacturing, energy production and AI development in the U.S. so the domestic economy can thrive.
President Joe Biden has left many of Trump’s tariffs on China in place and increased the tariffs on select items such as Chinese electric vehicles and solar panels. But in this presidential campaign, Trump has also called for a 60% tariff on imports from China, and many financial experts agree that the cost burden of tariffs is largely passed onto the consumer.
Trump Bibles have posed controversy among Oklahoma schools
Oklahoma schools Superintendent Ryan Walters recently requested $3 million to provide a Bible in every public school classroom in the state on top of the $3 million from last year.
Bid documents revealed that vendors must meet certain specifications to supply the state Department of Education with 55,000 Bibles, which closely mirrored the description of Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the U.S.A. Bible, commonly referred to as the “Trump Bible.”
Legal experts said the original rules could be seen as “bid rigging” and violate the Oklahoma constitution by using taxpayer money to benefit one political candidate, according to The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY network. Vendor requirements for the 55,0000 Bibles recently changed, loosening connections with the “Trump Bible.” These revised stipulations allow the vendor to provide Bibles and other documents such as copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights separately.
Bible one of several Trump spin-off enterprises this year
Throughout his 2024 bid for the White House, Trump has promoted several collectible items while facing presidential campaign expenses and mounting legal fees. These include:
Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, Michael Collins, David Jackson, John Fritze, Jonathan Limehouse, David Jackson
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump-backed God Bless the USA Bibles made in China: reports