"Because I want to go to heaven"... The Reason Trump Wants to End the War in Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump drew attention by mentioning that the reason he is working to end the war in Ukraine is because he "wants to go to heaven after he dies."

In an interview with Fox News on the 19th (local time), President Trump said that he wants to end the war to save people, adding, "If possible, I want to try hard so I can go to heaven."

He continued, "From what I hear, the evaluation of me is not very good. It's really at the bottom. But if I can go to heaven, it will be because of this (peace in Ukraine)."

U.S. media focused on how this statement was far from President Trump's characteristically confident attitude.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that many of President Trump's supporters consider him a 'Messiah,' and that Trump himself has encouraged this image, but now he's saying things that sound like he is acknowledging he is not a saint.

President Trump, who is 79 years old this year, narrowly avoided an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania during a campaign rally in July last year, and said this experience changed him. However, he is not known to commonly talk about life and death in his usual personality.

However, he has mentioned heaven and hell in the past regarding his parents. At a rally after his criminal indictment in 2023, he said, "I believe my parents are in heaven now. They’re looking down and saying, ‘How could this happen to my son?’"

At another rally at Madison Square Garden, New York in October of the same year, he said, "I know my mother is in heaven. I can't be 100% certain about my father, but I think he's close to heaven."

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt was asked at a briefing whether the remarks were a joke and responded, "I think the President was being sincere. I believe the President truly wants to go to heaven."

Jihee Yoo, Hankyung.com reporter keephee@hankyung.com