The Freedom Trucks, a mobile history exhibit supported by former President Trump and currently touring the country, prominently feature George Washington crossing the Delaware. However, on the back of these trucks, a different image can be seen: the nation’s first commander-in-chief kneeling in solitary prayer beside his horse. This iconography of Washington at prayer has long been present in American culture, appearing on prints, postage stamps, and Christmas ornaments. Yet, as the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, this image is increasingly appearing in more prominent, even quasi-official, venues.
It has been shared on the social media accounts of the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. The image also features in a comic book and other merchandise promoted by the nonpartisan group coordinating the federal commemoration of the anniversary. Furthermore, it has been used to promote Rededicate 250, a White House-backed event scheduled for May 17. This event will gather religious leaders and prominent Republican officials on the National Mall in Washington for a “national day of prayer, praise and thanksgiving,” including a video message from President Trump and three hours of speeches recounting “major chapters of American history where God’s providence, protection, and guidance are visible.”
For a long time, the evangelical right has asserted that America was founded as a Christian nation, arguing that the separation of church and state is a modern liberal concept. As the 250th anniversary nears, the Trump administration has woven the protection of what President Trump calls “the Judeo-Christian principles of our Founding” into its anniversary plans. Consequently, some scholars observe that the image of Washington at prayer has transitioned from being a patriotic commonplace to a politically charged statement. John Fea, a historian at Messiah University in Pennsylvania who has studied Christian interpretations of the founding, noted, “Fifty years ago, this image would not raise eyebrows. It would have just seemed like a form of civil religion — ‘God Bless America,’ ‘Faith of Our Founders,’ and so on.” Fea added, “But Christian nationalists are now in power, and that is why you are seeing it in different kinds of spaces.”
While Washington undeniably crossed the Delaware, the story of him kneeling in solitary prayer at Valley Forge during the bleak winter of 1777-78 is largely legendary rather than historical fact. Scholars trace its first appearance to the decade following Washington’s death, in an 18th edition of a biography by Mason Locke Weems, which also included the fictional tale of young George chopping down the cherry tree. Weems, an evangelical pastor and bookseller, claimed to have heard the story from a local Quaker who, upon witnessing the general in prayer, was so moved that he abandoned pacifism and embraced the Revolutionary cause. The narrative gained traction throughout the 19th century, inspiring paintings and engravings that increasingly omitted the Quaker observer, thus focusing entirely on Washington’s piety.
Today, perhaps the most recognized version of this image is “Prayer at Valley Forge,” a painting created by Arnold Friberg for the 1976 Bicentennial, which is featured on the Freedom Trucks. Friberg, a Utah-based illustrator and painter, first gained prominence in the 1950s with a series of monumental paintings inspired by the Book of Mormon. These works caught the attention of Cecil B. DeMille, who commissioned Friberg for paintings and designs for “The Ten Commandments.” Friberg, who died in 2010 at 96, spent two years on the Washington painting, intending it as a counterpoint to what he perceived as the “rebellious cynicism” of Vietnam-era student protesters. He meticulously researched Washington’s uniform, preserved at the Smithsonian, and visited Valley Forge in winter, an experience he later described in near-mystical terms: “It was deserted, the wind moaning through the great trees, silent, lonely, cold.” For much of his life, the original painting hung above Friberg’s fireplace in Utah, while his studio sold numerous reproductions. Since 2017, the original has been on loan to the Museum of the Bible in Washington.
The museum directed inquiries about the work to First Freedom Art, a Texas-based investment company that acquired over 200 of Friberg’s paintings from his estate in 2022. Elizabeth Carlyle, the company’s chief executive, described “Prayer at Valley Forge” as their prized possession, hoping it would achieve the recognition of Emanuel Leutze’s iconic 1851 painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” She stated that the painting “bridges faith and freedom,” adding, “We know that prayer preceded American freedom, and it will be the way to preserve it.” Julia Friedland, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, the Trump-backed organization behind the Freedom Trucks and the prayer event, affirmed that the painting “captures a defining part of the American story: faith in moments of uncertainty.”
However, the display of the painting has sometimes caused contention. In 2018, the Freedom From Religion Foundation formally objected to its exhibition at the Museum of the Bible, labeling it “disinformation.” The museum’s current wall label acknowledges the image’s 19th-century origins but notes that “many believe Washington knelt in solitary prayer” at Valley Forge. Doug Bradburn, president of Mount Vernon, where the painting was on loan from 2008 to 2012, maintained that its display in a museum is acceptable if properly contextualized. Bradburn acknowledged that the kneeling episode might be fictionalized, but found it “interesting that some people are so adamant that Washington would never have done that.”
An entry on Washington and religion on Mount Vernon’s website describes the subject as “complex,” cautioning against “trite labels and descriptions.” Bradburn noted that Washington, an Anglican who served as a church vestryman, was neither an evangelical nor a deist, as often claimed. Washington rarely mentioned Jesus in his writings or speeches and was famously private about his faith, leaving some contemporaries uncertain of his beliefs. Nevertheless, as commander-in-chief, he mandated military chaplains for each unit and frequently spoke of “Providence,” which he believed guided the nation. In his renowned 1796 farewell address, he asserted that “religion and morality are indispensable supports” of “political prosperity.” Crucially, Bradburn highlighted Washington’s strong belief in religious freedom for all, including non-Christians. “He was definitely religious himself, but he didn’t want to enforce it as a state project,” Bradburn explained.
Despite historical nuances, the image of Washington kneeling in prayer remains a pivotal symbol for some Christians who challenge the idea that the founders intended a strict separation of church and state. A version of this image appeared on the cover of David Barton’s 1993 book, “America’s Godly Heritage.” Barton, an evangelical writer and founder of WallBuilders, advocates for what he terms “the true story of America and our biblical foundation,” arguing that the First Amendment was designed to protect religion from government interference, not to exclude religion from government.
The prayer image has also permeated popular culture, with a Friberg-inspired version gracing the cover of “The President,” a biographical comic book from Christian publisher Kingstone, promoted by America 250, a nonprofit tasked with federal commemoration. Top Trump administration figures have also invoked the image; at a Pentagon prayer service last year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth referenced Washington praying “on bended knee” with his troops. Hegseth is slated to speak at the upcoming prayer event during a segment titled “God’s Hand in the Founding of a Nation,” alongside Eric Metaxas, an evangelical radio host and author who has characterized the notion of the founders being quiet about their faith as a “secularist lie.” In his forthcoming book, “Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World,” Metaxas posits that the United States emerged when “the idea of liberty went forth from the eternal mind of God, entering history and time.”
Few professional historians endorse such a theologically driven perspective. However, a growing number of scholars contend that the Founders were more profoundly influenced by religion than their secular colleagues often acknowledge. Daniel L. Dreisbach, a legal scholar at American University, argues in his book “Reading the Bible With the Founding Fathers” that the writings and rhetoric of Washington and his contemporaries are rich with biblical allusions, which they consulted for insights into human nature, morality, and politics. Dreisbach commented via email that many contemporary scholars “either miss or dismiss the vital role religion played in the founding generation’s political thought and practices,” leading to “a somewhat distorted account of the founding.” John Fea, from Messiah University, while also questioning a purely secular founding, suggests that the public discourse surrounding religion and the nation’s origins is ultimately less about 18th-century facts and more about 21st-century politics. He concludes, “Right now, everyone is looking for a usable past, and having Washington on his knees sends a powerful signal.”
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