The “God Bless the USA” Bibles, which have the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, were published in China, as reported by the Associated Press. This is notable considering Trump has repeatedly criticized U.S.-China trade relations.

According to global trade records accessed by the AP, about 120,000 copies of the “God Bless the USA” Bible were shipped from Hangzhou, China, to the United States between early February and late March.

The shipments were valued at under $3 each, totaling around $342,000. However, the starting price for the “Trump Bible” is $59.99, potentially bringing in about $7 million in sales revenue.

While many Bibles are manufactured in China, this information contrasts sharply with Trump’s political views on the country. The Trump campaign did not provide a comment when reached by YSL News.

Trump is vocal about trade issues with China, advocating for restrictions

During Trump’s time in office, a trade war with China lasted for several years, although it seemed to ease with a deal in early 2020. In the same year, Trump was critical of China’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, labeling it the “Chinese virus,” a term many viewed as racially charged and harmful to Asian Americans, as previously reported by YSL News.

The Republican strategy for the upcoming 2024 election aims to reduce imports of essential items from China and halt Chinese investments in American properties and industries.

On the campaign circuit, Trump characterizes China as a rival to the U.S., advocating for increased domestic manufacturing, energy production, and advancements in AI to bolster the local economy.

President Joe Biden has maintained many of Trump’s tariffs on China and further raised tariffs on specific items such as electric vehicles and solar panels from China. In this presidential race, Trump has proposed imposing a 60% tariff on all imports from China, with many financial analysts agreeing that the costs incurred from tariffs usually fall on consumers.

Controversy surrounding Trump Bibles in Oklahoma schools

Oklahoma’s Superintendent Ryan Walters recently sought $3 million to provide each public school classroom in the state with a Bible, following a similar request of $3 million last year.

Documents related to the bids revealed that vendors must adhere to specific criteria to supply the state’s Department of Education with 55,000 Bibles, which closely align with the description of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A. Bible,” often called the “Trump Bible.”

Legal analysts have suggested that the original requirements could constitute “bid rigging,” violating the Oklahoma constitution by utilizing taxpayer funds to benefit any political candidate, according to The Oklahoman, part of the YSL News network. The stipulations for vendors providing the 55,000 Bibles have since changed, allowing more flexibility regarding the “Trump Bible,” now enabling the provision of Bibles along with other documents like the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights separately.

Bibles are just one of several enterprises tied to Trump this year

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump has introduced a range of collectible products to support his campaign costs amid increasing legal expenses. These items include:

• Trump Watches
• Trump coins
• Trump sneakers
• and NFT Trading cards featuring him as a superhero, dancing, and various other portrayals