“I Hate Some of My Enemies, and I Always Will” – Trump on Forgiveness
United States President Donald Trump has declared that he may never forgive some of his political opponents, even if doing so could determine whether he gains entry into heaven after death.
Trump made the remarks during an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, aired on Sunday, November 8, 2026, where he was questioned about his religious beliefs, mortality and willingness to practise Christian forgiveness.
The conversation took an unusual turn when journalist Ross Douthat asked whether he could forgive former FBI Director James Comey and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi if forgiveness were the condition for entering paradise.
Trump initially questioned whether giving such an assurance would reflect his genuine feelings, describing the politicians as dishonest individuals who had caused considerable harm to the United States.
When pressed for a direct answer, he admitted that he could not promise to forgive them.
“The answer is no. I want to be honest, no,” Trump said.
Douthat further challenged the president, pointing to the blessings and remarkable experiences he had enjoyed throughout his life and asking whether he could find it in his heart to forgive those he considered his enemies.
Trump maintained his position, saying, “I probably cannot do that, no, because I do hate some of my enemies and I always will.”
The exchange followed references to the memorial service of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed in 2025. During the service, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, spoke about the Christian responsibility to forgive one’s enemies.
Trump, who spoke after her, had openly expressed hostility towards his political opponents, declaring that he hated them and did not wish them well.
During the CBS interview, the president also spoke about his beliefs concerning life after death. Describing himself as a religious person, he said he believed he could go to heaven but admitted he did not want to go to hell.
“I hope so. I don’t want to go to hell,” he said when asked whether he expected to enter heaven.
Trump’s comments have drawn attention to the tension between his public expression of religious faith and his unwillingness to forgive political adversaries, a principle repeatedly emphasised in Christian teachings.
The interview, conducted at the White House, also covered the Republican Party’s losses in the November 3 midterm elections, immigration policies, the conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine, and the future of the Make America Great Again movement.
The exchange about forgiveness, however, offered one of the most striking personal moments of the interview, placing the president’s religious convictions alongside his longstanding political grievances.
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