Biden Says Americans ‘Must Not Be Enemies’ During Remarks At National Prayer Breakfast

President Joe Biden delivered a brief address at the annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, saying Americans must stop viewing each other as “enemies.”

Biden, who has focused much of his re-election campaign on labeling his chief political rival Donald Trump and his supporters as a threat to the country, spoke of the importance of unity during his speech at the prayer breakfast. Biden invoked President Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address, which took place as the Civil War loomed, and Lincoln admonished Americans to remain as friends, not enemies.

“We must not be enemies,” Biden said. “I’ve long believed we have to look at each other, even on our most challenging times, not as enemies but as fellow Americans.”

“My prayer, my hope is we continue to believe our best days are ahead of us as a nation,” the president added. “We continue to believe in honesty, decency, dignity and respect. We see each other not as enemies but as fellow human beings — each made in the image of God, each precious in his sight.”

During the prayer breakfast, Biden sat next to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), a Trump backer, and the two were seen wiping away tears as Andrea Bocelli sang “Amazing Grace.”

.@andreabocelli sings Amazing Grace at National Prayer Breakfast. pic.twitter.com/Pj6gaErwuE

— CSPAN (@cspan) February 1, 2024

Johnson also shared a photo from the prayer breakfast on X, showing him praying with the president.

This morning, I joined Congressional colleagues in welcoming President Biden to the U.S. Capitol for the National Prayer Breakfast.

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” Psalm 37:5 pic.twitter.com/MsAs9v368S

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 1, 2024

Biden offered prayers for the families of the three U.S. soldiers who were killed last week in the Middle East in a drone attack by an Iranian-backed militia group. He also mentioned the war between Israel and Hamas and the hostages being held by the terrorists in his remarks, saying he is praying and working for peace.

Biden’s attendance continues a 70-year-long tradition of presidents going to the National Prayer Breakfast as every commander-in-chief since Dwight D. Eisenhower has attended, The New York Post reported. Biden’s remarks on unity at the prayer breakfast come amid a heated re-election campaign as the president appears to be headed for a rematch with Trump in November.

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Last month, Biden compared Trump and his supporters to “defeated Confederates” at a campaign event at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina, the site of the 2015 race-fueled shooting that killed nine black members of the church.

“Now, we’re living in an era of a second lost cause,” the president said. “Once again, there are some in this country trying to turn a loss into a lie. A lie which if allowed to live will once again bring terrible damage to this country. This time the lie is about the 2020 election.”