Texas megachurch pastor and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner opened the first cabinet meeting of President Donald Trump’s second term on Wednesday by invoking God’s blessing and expressing gratitude in Jesus’ name.
“Father, we thank you for this awesome privilege to be in your presence,” said the 53-year-old, who also serves as an associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.
Giving the opening prayer at President Trump’s first cabinet meeting was the honor of a lifetime.
Thank you, @POTUS, for trusting me to lead @HUDgov and for giving me the opportunity to lift up Americans across the country.pic.twitter.com/bM5YyqEIna
— Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) February 26, 2025
“Thank you that you’ve allowed us to see this day; the Bible says that your mercies are new every morning,” he continued, going on to thank God for Trump and the opportunity He has given his cabinet to lead the nation.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.
“Father God, we give you the glory and the honor. Thank you, God, for President Trump; for appointing us, Father God, thank you for anointing us to do this job.”
Turner invoked God’s wisdom for the president, vice president and for everyone in the cabinet.
“Lord God, we pray that we would lead with a righteous clarity. As we serve the people of this country in every prospective agency, every job that we have, Father, we would humble ourselves before You, and we would lead in a manner that You’ve called us to lead and to serve.”
“Father, the Bible says, ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.’ But Father, we today honor You and in your rightful place,” Turner continued. “Father, thank You for giving us this opportunity to restore faith in this country and be a blessing to the people of America. Lord God, today in our meeting, we pray that You will be glorified in our conversation, in Jesus’ name.”
Before kicking off the meeting, Trump told Turner, “That was a very good job you did.”
Turner later tweeted a video of his invocation, writing, “Giving the opening prayer at President Trump’s first cabinet meeting was the honor of a lifetime.”
Turner was confirmed as HUD secretary earlier this month after previously having served as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council in the first Trump administration.
Turner, who played defensive back in the NFL for eight seasons, told the audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, last week that he believes God is calling him to make a “generational impact.”
“From washing dishes, to graduating college, playing in the NFL, serving in the Texas House, building businesses, to now standing before you, the beloved people of America, as a secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, He was training me and preparing me,” he said.
Turner shared his concerns about the housing affordability crisis facing many young Americans, noting in his CPAC speech that his 24-year-old son does not believe he will ever be able to buy a home.
“Today, I challenge you to think of this not so much as a crisis, but instead as an opportunity to change course, an opportunity to uplift individuals and families, and lead them down the path of self-sufficiency and self-sustainability,” he said.
“An opportunity, if you will, to decrease the cost and increase the supply of safe, quality, affordable housing in our country; an opportunity to enact impactful, enduring policies.”
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com
