Is Donald Trump the antichrist?

TL;DR:

It’s extremely unlikely that Donald Trump is the Antichrist; biblical prophecy points to a future, end-times leader from the Middle East, not a modern U.S. president. Instead of guessing who the Antichrist is, Scripture calls us to stay faithful, watchful, and focused on living for Christ until He returns.

what does the bible say?

Biblical prophecy describes the Antichrist as a future, end-times world leader who will oppose God, persecute His people, and make a seven-year covenant with Israel. Scripture warns of false messiahs and deceivers, but it emphasizes discernment rather than speculation about current individuals. Donald Trump, an American businessman and entertainer who became the President of the United States in 2016 and 2024, is unlikely to be the antichrist. Antichrist prophecy focuses on the Middle East and surrounding regions; the United States isn’t mentioned. Also, Trump claims to follow God, unlike the Antichrist who will blaspheme and exalt himself. While some may try to correlate certain of Trump’s traits or circumstances to biblical prophecy, correlation does not indicate that he is the Antichrist, especially since we are not yet in those times. The Bible urges Christians to remain watchful and live faithfully until He returns. Ultimately, end-times prophecy serves to call believers to readiness, obedience, and sharing the gospel rather than fueling speculation about contemporary figures being the Antichrist.

from the old testament

Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 describe a king or ruler who will come to power at the end of days. He will oppose God, persecute His people, and exalt himself.
The Antichrist will be a deceitful and evil ruler who makes a seven-year covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27).
The Old Testament emphasizes that God’s kingdom will prevail over all human powers (Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 40:23-24), rather than naming individual leaders in modern times.

from the new testament

An antichrist is anyone who denies Jesus Christ or opposes Him spiritually (1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3), a broad, ongoing category that is not limited to one individual.
Second Thessalonians 2:3-4 describes a future figure who will exalt himself against God, deceive many, and display ultimate opposition in the end times. He will be called the Antichrist or the man of lawlessness as described in Daniel.
Revelation 13 describes a beast that persecutes God’s people and deceives nations. The imagery is symbolic and future, pointing to an end-times leader, not any named individual today.
Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22 warn that false messiahs and deceivers will appear, but the Bible emphasizes discernment, not speculation about specific people.
The Antichrist is a future world leader described in biblical prophecy who will rise during the end times. He will persecute God’s people and wage war against the Jews (Revelation 12:13-17; see Daniel 7:21).
The Antichrist will blaspheme God, exalt himself above all, and demand worship, even setting up an image in the restored Jewish temple (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:14-15).
Midway through the Antichrist’s reign, after three and a half years, he appears to suffer a fatal head wound but miraculously recovers, displaying the power of Satan through him (Revelation 13:3).
The Antichrist’s rise will deceive many and lead nations astray (Revelation 13:7-8), but his ultimate defeat is assured at Christ’s return (Revelation 19:19-20).

implications for today

Trump is likely not the Antichrist because,

He is the U.S. President; the U.S. isn't in biblical prophecy.

He isn't from Europe or the Middle East where the end-times prophecies are set.

He claims to follow God, but the Antichrist won't (Daniel 11:37).

The Antichrist won't worship the gods of his ancestors; Americans don't really have ancestral gods.

Evidence that some offer for Trump being the Antichrist are his continued interest in brokering a peace treaty between Israel and Israel's enemies (Daniel 9:27), his aggressiveness, his exalting of himself (Daniel 11:36), and the failed assassination attempt against him (though the bullet hit his ear and wasn’t a fatal head wound) (Revelation 13:3).

Many Christians, especially those who believe in dispensationalism, compare biblical prophecy to current events to figure out when Jesus will return. But Paul warned us not to be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us (2 Thessalonians 2:2, NLT).

Jesus told us to keep watch but not so we could figure out who the Antichrist is. We’re to keep watch so we live in such a way that we are ready for His return at any time. The purpose of end times prophecy is to remind us that God will judge those who don't follow Jesus. Until that day, we are called to live for Him, reflect Him to the world, and tell others about the salvation found in Him.

understand

Trump is unlikely to be the Antichrist; the Antichrist will come to power during the end times.
The Antichrist will oppose God, deceive nations, and demand worship—traits not fully seen in Trump.
The Bible calls us to stay faithful and watchful, not to speculate about current leaders being the Antichrist.

reflect

How does focusing on living faithfully for Christ rather than speculating about current leaders being the Antichrist affect your daily living and priorities?
How do you stay watchful and spiritually alert for Christ’s return in your own life?
How does understanding that the Antichrist is a future figure help you resist fear or anxiety about current events?

engage

How can we encourage others to stay faithful and discerning without getting caught up in speculation about who might be the Antichrist?
In what ways does end-times prophecy motivate us to share the gospel and reflect Christ wherever we are?
How do we balance curiosity about world events with the Bible’s call to focus on readiness for His return, obedience, and spiritual growth?