US President Donald Trump has expressed his hope of going to heaven after death, describing himself as a religious person, but admitted that he would struggle to forgive some of his political opponents. Speaking candidly about mortality, faith and his personal rivalries, Trump said he did not want to go to hell but could not bring himself to forgive people he considered his enemies.
The remarks came during an interview with CBS News for its flagship programme 60 Minutes, broadcast on Monday, 9 November. CBS correspondent Ross Douthat questioned the 80-year-old president about death, mortality and what he believed might happen after life.
Asked what he thought would happen after his death, Trump paused before responding that he hoped people would remember him.
“Well, I hope I’ll be remembered,” he said.
He then turned to his religious beliefs, expressing the hope that he would enter heaven. “Well, I’m a religious person, so theoretically I go to heaven. I hope. I don’t want to go to hell,” Trump said.
The conversation took a more contentious turn when Douthat asked whether reaching heaven would require him to love and forgive political adversaries such as former FBI Director James Comey and Democratic politician Nancy Pelosi.
Trump gave an unequivocal response, making clear that he had little intention of forgiving them.
“The answer is no. I want to be honest, no,” he said.
He went on to acknowledge the depth of his hostility towards some political opponents, adding: “I probably can’t do it, no, because I hate some of my enemies and I probably always will.”
The exchange offered a glimpse into Trump’s personal outlook on faith and forgiveness, particularly when viewed against the backdrop of his long-running political disputes. His comments also highlighted the tension between the religious principles of forgiveness and the deeply personal rivalries that have characterised much of his political career.
Trump, who has faced multiple assassination attempts during his second presidential term, was also asked about unidentified flying objects (UFOs) during the interview. He said questions about UFOs were among the most frequently raised with him.
Recalling conversations with military aviators during his first and second terms in the White House, Trump said he had met several highly skilled and credible Air Force pilots who had shared unusual experiences involving unidentified objects.
He stressed that the pilots were not people who could easily be dismissed as conspiracy theorists. Describing them as exceptionally capable professionals, he said they had little interest in conspiracy theories but had nevertheless told him about encounters that he found difficult to explain.
“I’m not much of a believer, but I’ve had meetings in the Oval Office during my first term and somewhat during my second term with Air Force pilots who were really good, tough people. These are not people you would call conspiracy theorists. They don’t even know what that means,” Trump said.
He also spoke at length about the pilots’ appearance, praising their professionalism, youth and physical fitness. In a characteristically informal aside, he complimented their hairstyles and joked that he would like to have his hair cut in the same way.
Comparing their appearance to Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, Trump described them as slim, well-groomed and remarkably presentable. He then returned to their accounts of unusual encounters, saying they had told him things that struck him as particularly strange.
Although Trump did not offer a definitive explanation for the experiences described by the pilots, his remarks reflected the continuing public interest in UFOs and reports of unexplained aerial phenomena.
The interview covered two very different subjects: the president’s personal beliefs about the afterlife and his recollections of military pilots’ unusual experiences. His comments about heaven and forgiveness were particularly striking, as he openly acknowledged that his resentment towards certain political opponents might remain unchanged even when considering the religious principles he says he follows.
