WASHINGTON D.C. — The Trump administration is prominently featuring the 1975 painting "The Prayer at Valley Forge" in federal exhibits, websites, and social media posts as part of the commemoration of America's 250th anniversary. The oil painting by Arnold Friberg, originally created for the nation's bicentennial in 1976, depicts George Washington kneeling in prayer during the Continental Army's harsh winter encampment at Valley Forge in 1777–78.

The painting appears on a White House webpage dedicated to the 250th anniversary and is for sale on a federal government website celebrating the milestone. Reproductions of the work are also included in government-funded mobile exhibits known as Freedom Trucks that are touring the country. Social media posts from the Department of Defense, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Homeland Security have used the image to mark patriotic occasions.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth invoked the story depicted in the painting during the Pentagon’s Christmas tree lighting event last year. "George Washington took [a] bended knee because he understood he needed the help and wisdom of Providence," Hegseth told a crowd of soldiers and officials. "In the dead of winter, the cold of night, not only did he pray but he attacked on Christmas Eve. We have that kind of mentality here too."

The painting is currently on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., on loan from First Freedom Art Company, which is backed by CAZ Investments. According to the museum’s wall text, the work is "a poignant portrayal of George Washington during one of the most critical moments in the American Revolution. In the harsh winter of 1777-78, amidst the immense hardships faced by the Continental Army at Valley Forge, many believe Washington knelt in a moment of solitary prayer, seeking guidance and strength from God."

Historians, however, note that there is little evidence Washington actually prayed at Valley Forge as shown in the painting. Mainstream scholars point out that Washington was an Anglican whose public references to faith were vague and never explicitly mentioned Jesus Christ. Thomas Tweed, professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, told NPR that the image "sacralizes not just the nation, but military warfare." He noted that the story originated with Parson Weems, Washington’s early biographer, who also invented the cherry tree tale to portray Washington as morally upright.

Nicholas Shrum, a doctoral student researching Latter-day Saint identity in America, said the painting resonates with religious communities. "I grew up with that painting in my home," Shrum said. He added that for many Latter-day Saints and conservative evangelicals, the image affirms a belief that Washington was divinely guided. "People like Friberg and others were able to depict in an argumentative way, 'No, this was the George Washington. He was religious. He did have a fervent faith in God, that God was going to lead the patriots to victory against this imperial power that wanted to restrict liberty,'" he said. Members of the Trump administration have characterized historical skepticism about Washington’s religiosity as secularizing attacks on the founding fathers’ Christian beliefs.