U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance participated in the rituals of Ash Wednesday, joining other members of the Trump administration. Video footage released by C-SPAN on Wednesday captures Vance, a practicing Catholic, receiving ashes on his forehead from a Catholic priest before departing Texas.
During his visit, Vance toured the border town of Eagle Pass alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, examining the impacts of the Trump administration’s policies aimed at curbing illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump also released a joint message to commemorate Ash Wednesday, which signifies the start of Lent.
They stated, “This Ash Wednesday, we join in prayer with the tens of millions of American Catholics and other Christians beginning the holy season of Lent — a time of spiritual anticipation of the passion, death, and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
In their message, the Trumps also noted how, on Ash Wednesday, “followers of Christ wear crosses of ash on their foreheads” as “a sacred reminder of our mortality.”
They encouraged Christians, saying, “As we solemnly contemplate Jesus Christ’s suffering and death on the cross this Lent, let us prepare our souls for the coming glory of the Easter miracle. We offer you our best wishes for a prayerful and enriching Lenten season. May almighty God bless you, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.”
A recent poll conducted by Lifeway Research found that 74% of the 1,200 Americans surveyed from August 14-30 did not plan to observe the season. Among the subgroups, Catholics (58%) and Hispanics (36%) showed the highest intention to participate.
The survey revealed that among those who observe Lent, 50% plan to “fast from a favorite food or beverage” as Lenten sacrifice, while 37% aim to “fast from a bad habit” and 25% seek to “fast from a favorite activity.” Furthermore, to deepen their faith, 34% of those observing Lent plan to engage in additional prayer, while 22% intend to “read Lenten Bible verses or devotions.”
