The view that an interventionist God plays a role in every single event on earth has had a notable resurgence in recent years, and harks back to a vision put forth in the Old Testament. Conservative evangelical commentator Erick Erickson explained that the belief that God picks U.S. presidents was rooted in the Bible and was therefore self-evidently true.

Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was asked in an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network host David Brody what, in effect, God was thinking by putting Trump into office.

“I think it goes to show that everything happens for a reason. And the way I see it is: Look at the results of Donald Trump as president,” Haley responded. “Look at, we have more friends and family with jobs than we have ever had before. We have the economy moving in a direction, it’s, you know, hasn’t been in a long time but is doing great. We are acknowledging real truths with a president that had the courage to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.”