Say Kids, You Know Who Else Was ‘Taking a Little Walk’ On the Roof?

President Donald Trump gestures to the media from the roof of the West Wing at the White House on August 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Pool/ABACAPRESS.COM)

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump climbed onto the roof of the White House briefing room, saying he was there “taking a little walk,” and surveying the “ballroom on the other side.”

Last week, the White House announced plans for a $200 million ballroom, with hopes for the golden, gilded East Wing to be completed by 2029. 

Surprisingly, the Bible has a lot to say about rooftops. In the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, rooftops are a key part of stories where powerful rulers stand and hatch plans to exploit the vulnerable, where God intervenes to encourage inclusive polity, and even in the tempting of Jesus. At other times, the Bible instructs people on how to build their rooftop decks, and roofs are used to ask Jesus to care for others. Rooftop stories show God cares about good infrastructure, accessibility, and safe communities. 

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