What You Need to Know
American pastor Paula White’s recent tour in Africa highlights the growing influence of evangelical leaders in U.S. foreign policy. With visits to countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, White’s role as a spiritual advisor to Trump intertwines religion with diplomacy, raising questions about the impact on regional peace efforts.
Africa. In a striking scene, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his wife, Denise Nyakeru, attended a group prayer session led by American pastor Paula White, a spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump.
Her presence was not merely a religious ritual but part of a broader African tour from November 5 to 17, which included Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. This tour comes as Washington seeks to advance peace efforts between Kinshasa and Kigali, strained by the ongoing conflict in Eastern Congo, according to a report from a local source.
The Rise of Evangelical Influence
White, who has headed the “Faith Office” within the White House since February, embodies the growing influence of conservative evangelical circles in the Trump administration. This influence has extended beyond domestic issues to encompass foreign policy, particularly in Africa, where evangelical churches are experiencing significant growth.
The local source report indicates that Trump relied on these networks during his 2016 campaign, securing 80% of the votes from white evangelicals.
White’s journey was not isolated; she has forged close relationships with prominent African religious leaders, such as Ghanaian pastor Nicholas Duncan-Williams, a key church figure in Accra with political ties extending to Washington.
Duncan-Williams is also connected to his wife, Rosa Whitaker, who is influential in American-African trade circles and played a role in shaping the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which has granted African countries export privileges to the U.S. since 2000.
Religious Diplomacy
According to the local source, White’s presence in African presidential palaces was not merely ceremonial but carried indirect political messages from Trump.
For instance, Rwandan President Paul Kagame hosted her for dinner, aware that her proximity to Trump lends her special weight in any mediation efforts.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni welcomed her during a missionary campaign organized by local ally Pastor Robert Kayanja.
Despite White’s insistence that her visit was “personal,” its timing coincided with intense American diplomatic efforts to revive a regional cooperation agreement between Congo and Rwanda.
She personally attended the signing of a preliminary peace agreement at the White House on June 27, leading a prayer after the signing, reflecting an unprecedented intertwining of religion and politics in Trump’s African diplomacy.
White’s trip to Africa reveals the contours of a new “religious diplomacy,” where American evangelical influence intersects with U.S. interests on the continent. While the spiritual advisor insists her mission is fundamentally spiritual, her presence in the heart of sensitive political issues raises questions about the limits of this role and its impact on the peace process in the Great Lakes region.
The relationship between American evangelicalism and U.S. foreign policy has evolved significantly over the past few decades. Evangelicals have increasingly engaged in international issues, particularly in Africa, where their churches are expanding rapidly. This growing influence has led to a unique form of diplomacy that blends faith with political objectives, particularly under the Trump administration.
In recent years, evangelical leaders have played a crucial role in shaping U.S. policy towards Africa, often advocating for humanitarian efforts and religious freedom.
