Rev. Graham reacts to Biden leaving 'God' out of prayer proclamation: 'There is no one else to pray to'

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Franklin Graham reacts to Biden omitting 'God' from National Day of Prayer

Biden is the first president to omit the word God from proclamation; Reverend and Samaritan's Purse President weighs in on 'Fox News Primetime'

Reverend Franklin Graham reacted on "Fox News Primetime" Thursday to President Biden being the first commander-in-chief to omit "God" from his address on the National Day of Prayer.

The holiday, first celebrated by Democrat Harry Truman and later formalized by Republican Ronald Reagan, is celebrated the first Thursday of May.

Biden, who identifies as a devout Roman Catholic, neglected to mention God during his formal Proclamation.

Graham, who now leads the Asheville, N.C.-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association that his late father founded, told Fox News host Pete Hegseth he cannot figure out why Biden left the name of the Creator out of his proclamation.

"I'm not sure that [Biden] even knows. It was probably a staff person that wrote it and maybe not even ran it by him -- because I don't think Joe Biden would have approved that one," Graham said. 

"This is a National Day of Prayer. Of course we need to call on God – and not just some generic ‘gods’ or some ‘power’ in the air – but on God himself, the Creator who made and created this Earth and who sent his Son, Jesus Christ from Heaven to this Earth to save mankind from sin by dying on a cross."

"There is no one else to pray to except to God," the 68-year-old Evangelist added.

Host Pete Hegseth noted that just prior to his interview, Graham separately opined on Facebook about the president leaving God out of his proclamation:

"Why would President Biden omit God? … I was deeply saddened to read that President Biden is the first president to omit the word "God" in his proclamation. That speaks volumes doesn’t it? It is hard to believe we have come this far," he wrote.

‘GOD’ LEFT OUT OF BIDEN'S NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER PROCLAMATION

On Fox News, Graham added that he is troubled by the decline in church attendance, but attributed much of the issue to governors in several states that have restricted congregational worship opportunities. He said that some churches later moved to online services and Mass – which he added helped many congregations mildly retain their attendance and tithing.

"No question, God answers prayer. He hears prayer. He listens to prayer. But we have got to approach God in the right way. We have to confess our sins and ask for His forgiveness," Graham offered in the spirit of the national holiday.

Graham later offered a prayer on the much-revered holiday:

"Father, we pray for our country, pray for the president. Father, we pray for all the folks there at Fox News. 

Father, we thank you for them. And we just pray for Pete [Hegseth] and his family. 

Thank you, Father, that You love us, You care for us, and that you sent your son, Jesus Christ from Heaven to this Earth to die for our sins and our place.

And, Father, it's my prayer that many people put their faith and trust in him in Jesus' name, we pray; Amen."

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Both former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump mentioned "God" in their National Day of Prayer proclamations, but Biden's proclamation never mentioned God, only Americans' "many religions and belief systems" and the "power of prayer."

Trump's 2017 proclamation mentioned God five times, his 2018 proclamation mentioned God five times, his 2019 proclamation mentioned God seven times and his 2020 proclamation mentioned God 11 times. 

While the proclamation itself didn't include "God," Biden's remarks for the occasion did say the vaccine was developed "by the grace of God."  

Fox News' Evie Fordham contributed to this report.