Paula White and the Prosperity Gospel: A False Prophet in the White House

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you; they are deluding you. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.”
— Jeremiah 23:16

The appointment of Paula White as Senior Advisor to the White House Faith Office is alarming, but not surprising. White has long been a spiritual confidante of Donald Trump, using her brand of prosperity gospel to align herself with power, wealth, and influence.

But her rise to political prominence is not just a political maneuver — it is a theological crisis. White exemplifies the kind of false prophet the Hebrew Scriptures warn against: one who speaks not for God, but for personal gain and the preservation of political authority.

Like the court prophets of old, White tells leaders what they want to hear, affirming their actions rather than challenging them to justice. She uses the language of faith to shield power from accountability, reinforcing structures that privilege the wealthy and oppress, well, everybody else. In doing so, she turns faith into a transaction, where divine favour is reserved for those who give generously — not to the poor, but to her ministry. This is not prophecy; it is a pyramid scheme wrapped in the language of holiness.

False Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, true prophets are those who speak truth to power, calling rulers and the people alike to justice, repentance, and care for the marginalized. False prophets, on the other hand, are those who align themselves with kings, assuring them that their actions are divinely sanctioned, even when they lead to injustice and suffering.

“Its leaders give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for a price, its prophets give oracles for money; yet they lean upon the Lord and say, ‘Surely the Lord is with us! No harm shall come upon us.’”
— Michah 3:11

False prophets distort God’s message, making faith transactional. Instead of demanding righteousness, they demand wealth, promising divine favour in return. Their concern is not for the widow or the orphan, but for their own power and prosperity, and for the wannabe king they serve. White’s king is a man who demands loyalty but offers no justice, and whose interests align with wealth and influence rather than integrity.

Paula White and the Prosperity Gospel

White’s entire theological foundation is built upon the prosperity gospel, which falsely claims that faith and financial giving will be rewarded with material wealth. She preaches that financial blessings are evidence of divine favour, and that giving money — preferably to her ministry — is the key to unlocking God’s abundance.

One of White’s most infamous appeals encouraged followers to send their first paycheque of the year to her, claiming that those who failed to do so would suffer financial consequences. This brand of theology preys upon the poor while enriching its leaders. It is precisely the kind of religious exploitation the Hebrew prophets — and Jesus — condemned.

White as a Court Prophet to Trump

White’s relationship with Trump mirrors the dynamic between biblical false prophets and Israelite kings. Rather than calling him to account for policies that cause harm, she provides spiritual justification for his actions. Her alignment with Trump is not about moral leadership — it is about power consolidation.

White has repeatedly defended Trump’s policies, including those that target immigrants and refugees. Rather than calling for justice and mercy, she has cast these actions in a divine light, weaponizing scripture to serve a political agenda. This is the hallmark of a false prophet: one who bends God’s word to serve the interests of the powerful rather than the oppressed.

The Danger of Religious Manipulation

The prosperity gospel is not just theologically flawed — it is socially destructive. It shifts the blame for financial hardship from systemic inequality to individual faith failure. In this model, the suffering of the poor is a result of insufficient giving. The rich, on the other hand, are divinely blessed. In this framework, justice is irrelevant. So are the beatitudes. The call to care for the least of these is replaced by a call to sow financial “seeds” in pursuit of wealth.

Paula White’s presence in the White House Faith Office signals a continued practice of co-opting Christianity for political gain. Her teachings reinforce the lie that that personal wealth is a sign of righteousness, and that political power can be divinely ordained regardless of justice or mercy.

You can see how this is calculated. How else could Donald Trump — who has openly boasted about assaulting women, incited a violent insurrection, and systematically undermined democratic institutions — be cast as a figure of righteousness and divine favour, except through the illusion of his immense wealth and the godly favour it presumes?

A Call to Discernment

The Hebrew prophets did not align themselves with kings. They did not assure rulers that their actions were blessed by God. They stood in opposition to injustice, calling out falsehood and demanding righteousness. It’s a simple truth — if those in power welcome your words rather than resist them, you’re likely not a prophet or a true messenger of the Divine.

As Paula White ascends to yet another position of influence, we must ask: Are we listening to true prophets or to those who “speak visions of their own minds”? Are we following those who uphold the cause of the poor and the neglected, or those who seek their own enrichment?

Faith is not a transaction. God is not for sale. Those who claim otherwise do so not in the name of God, but in the name of their own greed.

Charlatans like Paula White will face judgment — certainly by history, and depending on your theology, by God as well. The real question is whether those who follow them will recognize sycophants posing as prophets in time to resist their influence. 🦢

Hi, friends 👋🏼,

Over the past year, I’ve been using this newsletter (and my website) a bit sporadically, yet you’ve still chosen to sign up and stick around. I truly appreciate that—thank you!

Moving forward, I plan to send out a weekly update every Saturday. I’ve been writing regularly on Medium, exploring the intersection of faith and the secular through a justice-seeking lens. Each Saturday, you’ll receive one of these articles straight to your inbox, along with links to other pieces I think you might find interesting.

I'm looking forward to sharing this journey with you!

Bri-anne 🦢

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