U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed that his renewed efforts to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict are partly driven by a spiritual aspiration — the hope that it might help him secure a place in heaven.

In a phone interview with Fox & Friends on August 19, Trump explained his push to mediate between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, positioning himself as a potential peacemaker. He stated, “If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s pretty… I want to try to get to heaven if possible.”

Trump added humorously, “I’m hearing that I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole,” which brought laughter from the Fox News hosts. “But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons,” he continued.

The president also drew a comparison to his previous efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, pointing out that his intervention helped prevent a potential nuclear conflict. “I think I saved a lot of lives with India, Pakistan. They were going at it. The planes were being shot down. That was going to be maybe a nuclear war if I let that go, and I did that through trade.”

Trump’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, later clarified that the remarks were not made in jest. “President Trump believes that saving lives through diplomacy is a noble pursuit. He takes this mission seriously, both as a statesman and a person of faith,” Leavitt said.

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