Trump hits back, slams 'dishonest and corrupt' opponents at National Prayer Breakfast

President Trump blasted his impeachment opponents Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast, taking a veiled shot at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for offering what he termed insincere prayers for him.

“I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong,” Mr. Trump said with Mrs. Pelosi seated near him on the dias. “Nor do I like people who say ‘I pray for you’ when they know that that’s not so.”

It was Mr. Trump’s first public comments since the Senate acquitted him on Wednesday in his impeachment trial. During the impeachment inquiry, Mrs. Pelosi said she has prayed for Mr. Trump.

His comments also appeared to be in reference to Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who cited his faith on Wednesday when he became the lone GOP senator to vote to convict Mr. Trump.

The president said of those who led his impeachment, “They know what they are doing is wrong.”

“As everybody knows my family, our great country, and your president, have been put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people,” the president said. “They have done everything possible to destroy us. And by so doing, very badly hurt our nation. They put themselves far ahead of our great country.”

“So many people have been hurt,” Mr. Trump said. “And we can’t let that go on. And I’ll be discussing that a little bit later at the White House.”

Mr. Trump is scheduled to give a statement about his acquittal at the White House around noon.

The theme of the prayer breakfast was “love your enemies.” Keynote speaker Arthur Brooks, a Harvard University professor, said Jesus Christ told his followers to “answer hatred with love.”