By Berl Falbaum
President Trump made public a 234-page financial report on his earnings in 2024 and they totaled some $600 million.
The money came from a variety of sources: golf clubs, shoes, sneakers, watches, cryptocurrencies, fragrances and other businesses. It seems like he is running a “shop here for all” enterprise.
What intrigued me, however, was that he earned $1.3 million from sales of the King James Bible.
As one who has written several books, I was envious. My royalties on 12 books total ... never mind.
I wondered whether he was violating any copyrights? Did he pay for permission to sell the Bible? Does he owe the original author (you know who) any money?
Now, I know that present copyright laws protect authors’ works for their lifetimes plus 70 years. After that, the works are considered in the public domain.
Thus, Trump is not violating any copyright laws in the U.S. But other questions remain.
The original Bible is some 2,700 years old — give or take a year or two. In 1604, King James commissioned his own version — thus the name, the King James Bible. It was completed in 1611. Jim — sorry, I mean his majesty James — probably just “stole” from the original author and decided he will pay the price when the time comes.
But does Trump owe any money to the UK? Or did the British surrender all rights to the Bible after they were defeated by the colonists in the Revolutionary War. I hope some historians study this issue.
Trump’s “God Bless the USA Bible” sells for $99.99. Melania has her own edition — the “First Lady Edition Bible” — for the same price.
There is an Inauguration Day Edition, the Presidential Edition, and the Golden Age edition, but no impeachment editions.
The following is just too precious. The bibles are printed in Hangzhou, China for $3 each. But, reports Christianity Today, they are not subject to Trump’s tariffs because religious books from China, are exempt from taxation. Apparently, God doesn’t like tariffs. China did get Trump to cut tariffs on its other products by threatening to increase the price of the Bible and intersperse Chinese proverbs in the book, like: ?????? (Míng rén bù zuò àn shì0) “Honest people don’t do sneaky things.”
Trump assured us that the Bible is his favorite book, “a lot of people’s favorite book.” In a promotional video, Trump said:
“We must protect content that is pro-God.” Amen!
“We love God.” Amen!
“We have to protect anything that is pro-God.” A little repetitious but, okay, Amen and Amen!
“We must defend God in the public square and not allow the media or the left-wing groups to silence, censor, or discriminate against us.” Amen to the first half but not sure a non-partisan God would like the second part.
Also, not very smart. Trump alienated a lot of potential leftist customers and fake news journalists who also tout the Bible as their favorite book.
Some of our sources told us that Trump’s version has only nine commandments with No. 7 — the one forbidding adultery — deleted.
No. 9 which commands that “Thou shall not bear false witness” is optional, we learned in our research,” and the final one, “Thou shall not covet” is on hold pending the outcome of Trump’s attempt to covet Greenland and Canada.
You can buy an autographed copy of Trump’s bible for $1,000. I don’t think the original one had an autograph. And I could not find out whether King James signed any.
The good news: You can buy a budget edition for only $59.99.
That puzzled me. What is the difference between the $99.99 version and the cheaper one? Is it abridged? Is sexually explicit material omitted? Is Noah still in it? Or Job? How about Kings Solomon and David or Delilah, you know, the biblical Stormy Daniels?
Does the Trump version criticize or support the attempt by Moses and the Israelites to cross the open borders of the Promised Land?
What would I be missing by saving 40 bucks?
Confused I went to Amazon. The most expensive version is $41.99, still $18 less than Trump’s cheapest bible. But apparently Jeff Bezos, founder/guru of Amazon, wants his bible available to everyone so he also sells some for 5 bucks and a Kindle version for $1.99. I trust him and believe his bibles, even the very cheap ones, are complete —no deletions.
One Nashville Baptist minister who reviews bibles, complained that Trump’s bible appears to be “cheaply made.” He said the bible should sell for between $15-20.
He will never be invited to the deliver a prayer at a White House dinner or any other presidential event. He might also watch for ICE agents coming to his church.
I am not paying attention to the bruhaha over Trump’s holy book. I will continue to read the one I stole from a hotel room.
It is signed — by the maid. It reads: “I pray you leave a generous tip.”
————————
Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.
President Trump made public a 234-page financial report on his earnings in 2024 and they totaled some $600 million.
The money came from a variety of sources: golf clubs, shoes, sneakers, watches, cryptocurrencies, fragrances and other businesses. It seems like he is running a “shop here for all” enterprise.
What intrigued me, however, was that he earned $1.3 million from sales of the King James Bible.
As one who has written several books, I was envious. My royalties on 12 books total ... never mind.
I wondered whether he was violating any copyrights? Did he pay for permission to sell the Bible? Does he owe the original author (you know who) any money?
Now, I know that present copyright laws protect authors’ works for their lifetimes plus 70 years. After that, the works are considered in the public domain.
Thus, Trump is not violating any copyright laws in the U.S. But other questions remain.
The original Bible is some 2,700 years old — give or take a year or two. In 1604, King James commissioned his own version — thus the name, the King James Bible. It was completed in 1611. Jim — sorry, I mean his majesty James — probably just “stole” from the original author and decided he will pay the price when the time comes.
But does Trump owe any money to the UK? Or did the British surrender all rights to the Bible after they were defeated by the colonists in the Revolutionary War. I hope some historians study this issue.
Trump’s “God Bless the USA Bible” sells for $99.99. Melania has her own edition — the “First Lady Edition Bible” — for the same price.
There is an Inauguration Day Edition, the Presidential Edition, and the Golden Age edition, but no impeachment editions.
The following is just too precious. The bibles are printed in Hangzhou, China for $3 each. But, reports Christianity Today, they are not subject to Trump’s tariffs because religious books from China, are exempt from taxation. Apparently, God doesn’t like tariffs. China did get Trump to cut tariffs on its other products by threatening to increase the price of the Bible and intersperse Chinese proverbs in the book, like: ?????? (Míng rén bù zuò àn shì0) “Honest people don’t do sneaky things.”
Trump assured us that the Bible is his favorite book, “a lot of people’s favorite book.” In a promotional video, Trump said:
“We must protect content that is pro-God.” Amen!
“We love God.” Amen!
“We have to protect anything that is pro-God.” A little repetitious but, okay, Amen and Amen!
“We must defend God in the public square and not allow the media or the left-wing groups to silence, censor, or discriminate against us.” Amen to the first half but not sure a non-partisan God would like the second part.
Also, not very smart. Trump alienated a lot of potential leftist customers and fake news journalists who also tout the Bible as their favorite book.
Some of our sources told us that Trump’s version has only nine commandments with No. 7 — the one forbidding adultery — deleted.
No. 9 which commands that “Thou shall not bear false witness” is optional, we learned in our research,” and the final one, “Thou shall not covet” is on hold pending the outcome of Trump’s attempt to covet Greenland and Canada.
You can buy an autographed copy of Trump’s bible for $1,000. I don’t think the original one had an autograph. And I could not find out whether King James signed any.
The good news: You can buy a budget edition for only $59.99.
That puzzled me. What is the difference between the $99.99 version and the cheaper one? Is it abridged? Is sexually explicit material omitted? Is Noah still in it? Or Job? How about Kings Solomon and David or Delilah, you know, the biblical Stormy Daniels?
Does the Trump version criticize or support the attempt by Moses and the Israelites to cross the open borders of the Promised Land?
What would I be missing by saving 40 bucks?
Confused I went to Amazon. The most expensive version is $41.99, still $18 less than Trump’s cheapest bible. But apparently Jeff Bezos, founder/guru of Amazon, wants his bible available to everyone so he also sells some for 5 bucks and a Kindle version for $1.99. I trust him and believe his bibles, even the very cheap ones, are complete —no deletions.
One Nashville Baptist minister who reviews bibles, complained that Trump’s bible appears to be “cheaply made.” He said the bible should sell for between $15-20.
He will never be invited to the deliver a prayer at a White House dinner or any other presidential event. He might also watch for ICE agents coming to his church.
I am not paying attention to the bruhaha over Trump’s holy book. I will continue to read the one I stole from a hotel room.
It is signed — by the maid. It reads: “I pray you leave a generous tip.”
————————
Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.
