Vice President JD Vance is pushing back after MSNBC host and former White House press secretary Jen Psaki dismissed prayer in the aftermath of this week’s tragic school shooting in Minnesota.
On Wednesday morning, a gunman opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis during Mass, killing two children and injuring 17 others. The horrific attack left families and the wider faith community reeling in grief.
As condolences poured in, Psaki took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize expressions of prayer and faith following the tragedy. “Prayer is not freaking enough,” Psaki wrote. “Prayer does not end school shootings. Prayer does not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.”
Her words quickly drew strong reactions, with many faith leaders and Christians nationwide pointing out that, in times of suffering, prayer is not meaningless—it is essential.
Among those defending prayer was Vice President JD Vance, who issued a series of posts on X challenging Psaki’s remarks. “We pray because our hearts are broken. We pray because we know God listens. We pray because we know that God works in mysterious ways and can inspire us to further action. Why do you feel the need to attack other people for praying when kids were just killed praying?”
For many Christians, Vance’s defense echoed their own frustration with seeing prayer dismissed as irrelevant or ineffective in times of crisis. Psaki also used the moment to take aim at the Trump administration’s crime plan in Washington, D.C., saying: “When kids are getting shot in their pews at a Catholic school Mass and your crime plan is to have national guard put mulch down around DC, maybe rethink your strategy.”
Her remarks underscored the growing cultural divide over how Americans process tragedy. While some immediately turn to policy debates, Christians emphasize that prayer is not a substitute for action but the foundation for it.
The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School has left Minnesota families grappling with unimaginable grief. For believers, prayer in such a moment is not political theater—it is a cry to God for comfort, justice, and strength.
Vance reminded the public that the very children who lost their lives were themselves praying when they were killed. For him and for many others, that is a sobering reminder of why prayer cannot be dismissed.
Christians across the country continue to lift up the families impacted by the tragedy, even as authorities investigate what led to the horrific attack. As scripture promises in Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
In a time of deep mourning, the debate over prayer reveals something profound: far from being “not enough,” prayer is where believers begin—because it invites God Himself into our deepest pain and calls on His power to bring hope and healing.
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