• President Trump said he did not think he was going to heaven while speaking to reporters on Air Force One.
• Trump's comments came in response to a question about whether a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza would help him get into heaven.
• Trump previously said he hoped ending the Ukraine-Russia war would get him into heaven if he is successful.

President Donald Trump said he didn't think he was going to heaven while traveling to Israel following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Trump was answering questions from reporters on Air Force One on Oct. 12 when Fox News' Peter Doocy asked whether this ceasefire would help the president get into heaven, referring to Trump's previous comments that ending the war in Ukraine might help him make it to the pearly gates.

"I mean, I'm being a little cute. I don't think there's anything going to get me in heaven," Trump responded to Doocy. "I think I'm not maybe heaven-bound ... I'm not sure I'm going to be able to make heaven, but I've made life a lot better for a lot of people."

He then went on to falsely claim the 2020 election was rigged and that the Ukraine-Russia war would not have happened had he been in office.

What religion is Trump? Here is what we know:

What religion is Donald Trump?

Trump once identified as a Presbyterian, but in 2020 he told Religion News Service he began considering himself a non-denominational Christian.

First lady Melania Trump, however, made news in 2017 when she met the late Pope Francis and revealed she was Catholic when asking the pontiff to bless her rosary beads. 

Trump previously talked heaven amid Ukraine-Russia peace talks

Trump said the following about heaven in an Aug. 19 appearance on "Fox & Friends" discussing his phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin after the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders at the White House the prior day.

“I want to try and get to heaven, if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”

At the White House press briefing later that day, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether Trump was joking in his comments or if there was a spiritual motivation behind his peace efforts.

"I think the president was serious," Leavitt said. "I think the president wants to get to heaven as I hope we all do in this room as well."

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.