Since he first announced his presidential run back in 2016, Donald Trump has become one of the most iconic and controversial public figures of our day. However, more people have opinions about what he is like than anything said by those who really do know him. But what if there was a way that we could get a glimpse of who he really is from those who know him best?
Filmmaker Matt Thayer has dedicated himself to sharing the story of who Donald Trump is from the people who know him the best. Instead of sharing propaganda and scare tactics about Trump’s personality, Thayer has compiled an eloquent documentary called “The Trump I Know,” which features interviews from his family and those who have worked closely with the former president. However, both the pandemic and cancel culture mobbed the film from gaining the kind of traction it could have had.
“Our Twitter account back in the day, we’ve never been able to actually get it back. It was vaporized. Facebook wouldn’t allow us to sell any merchandise like t-shirts or hoodies with just the logo on it,” Thayer says. “It just says, ‘The Trump I Know’ on it, and they accused us of selling alcohol and live animals.”
The stories in the documentary come from prominent figures like Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara, who have had positive experiences meeting and becoming close to the family. While I have not personally had many interactions with the Trump family, I have researched and done my homework on his presidency from a spiritual perspective, which I share in my book, “God and Donald Trump.” I once interviewed Donald Trump in 2016 before the election. I found him winsome, sincere and respectful. I included the interview in my book and on a podcast of the Strang Report in August 2016.
I also saw an earlier version of “The Trump I Know.” It’s well done and it rang true to what I experienced. I highly recommend seeing it.
Another powerful element behind the production wasn’t just the story of Trump or the cancelation of the film itself, it is the spiritual power leading the people behind the scenes.
“Our entire team worked with Christians,” Thayer says. “We would pray in tongues often because we were in situations where we didn’t know who our next interview was going to be. We took communion most nights, just laying it out before the Lord.”
Now, after these roadblocks and some spiritual wisdom, Thayer is ready to re-release the film in a unique format that will allow viewers to experience the movie in an interactive way. The virtual event, scheduled for Oct. 26, 2023, is a chance to engage with the creators and participate in a live Q&A session. It’s an opportunity for viewers to be part of a collective pushback against censorship and to support the freedom of filmmakers to share their stories without interference. I believe that if Spirit-filled Christians engage with this kind of content, we have the opportunity to expose the darkness surrounding our political culture.
“The Holy Spirit was all over this project…and I think that anybody who watches this who is tuned in to the Spirit is going to feel it on the project,” Thayer says. {eoa}
To purchase my book, God and Donald Trump, my new book, Spirit-Led Living in an Upside-Down World or to sign up for my newsletter, you can go to SteveStrangBooks.com.
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Stephen Strang is the bestselling author of God and Donald Trump. The founder and CEO of Charisma Media, Strang was voted by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America. He has interviewed four U.S. presidents and has been featured on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, CBN, Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, theDailyCaller.com and in many Christian outlets.
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