Trump’s Spiritual Advisor Compared Him to Jesus, Sparking Backlash

In case you didn’t know, there is an official Faith Office within the White House, which was established under President Donald Trump during his second term. And if you didn’t know that, then you probably didn’t know he has designated Pastor Paula White-Cain as the White House spiritual advisor for this department, though her official title is Special Government Employee and Senior Advisor. She was appointed as such in February 2025, according to a White House press release.

What's more, Paula previously served under Trump as an advisor in the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative, but her reach extends far beyond the White House. In fact, she founded Paula White Ministries and even serves as its president. She’s also married to a widely known rock star.

Keep scrolling to find out more about her and why some people are pretty bothered by how she described Trump’s relationship with religion.

Paula White-Cain, or Pastor Paula to many, is a pretty big deal in the world of religion, and not just because she serves as the White House spiritual advisor. In addition to founding and leading Paula White Ministries and the National Faith Advisory Board, she’s also the president of City of Destiny and an educating pastor at StoryLife Church, which is located just outside Orlando in Apopka.

She’s also written a handful of books, including The Power of Your Thoughts, Prayer Confessions, and Something Greater.

While it’s pretty clear Pastor Paula has the work experience to land the role as White House faith advisor, and she’s also a well-known TV personality, there’s more to know about her beyond her professional background.

Paula is actually the wife of Jonathan Cain, the keyboardist and songwriter for the rock band Journey, best known for the hit song “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

But as someone who appears to follow a strong Christian faith, she’s certainly encountered some bumps in the road that have many skeptical about her. For starters, she’s been married three times and allegedly had an affair with Benny Hinn, per Praise Houston, which some believe may have contributed to the end of her second marriage.

She was first married to Dean Knight from 1984 to 1989, then to Randy White from 1990 through 2007. She and Jonathan Cain wed in 2015.

While Paula had one child, a son, from her first marriage, she is believed to be a step-parent to three other children, though one of her stepdaughters, Kristen, passed away in 2008 from cancer, according to an Instagram post she shared.

Now that you have some background on Paula, let’s get into how she feels about Trump and his connection to religion. While she praised him during a Fox News interview with Lara Trump for going to church, Sunday school, and “Saturday school” growing up, she seemingly compared his trials to those of Jesus Christ, a comparison many did not take lightly.

During an April 2026 White House faith event, Paula remarked, “No one has paid the price like you have paid the price. It almost cost you your life. You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It’s a familiar pattern that our Lord and Savior showed us. But it didn’t end there for him, and it didn’t end there for you.”

While Trump has encountered some significant life events, comparing his experiences to those of Jesus is a bold move, and one that many weren’t exactly comfortable with. And they made that pretty clear in the comments on various clips of Pastor Paula speaking to Trump that are now going viral.