WASHINGTON (VINnews) – Marla Maples, the former wife of President Donald Trump, says Trump carries an Aramaic copy of the Zohar over his heart for protection and healing, offering a rare glimpse into what she described as the president’s spiritual side.

Maples made the comments in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, in which she discussed her relationship with Trump, her longtime connection to Kabbalah and Judaism, and her ties to Israel.

Maples said Trump carries the Book of Pinchas, part of the Zohar, inside his clothing and keeps it over his heart. She said the book is intended to provide “protection and healing.”

She also described Trump as having “a very big heart,” saying his desire to help others was part of what drove him toward public service and ultimately the presidency.

Maples said she and Trump had discussed the possibility of him becoming president as far back as the late 1980s, years before his political career began. She said Trump had a strong vision and intuition about world events and a desire to help the country.

Maples, who was married to Trump from 1993 to 1999, said her own spiritual journey led her to Kabbalah and Israel. As a Christian, she said she wanted to better understand Israel and visited the country numerous times, including spending extended periods in Safed and visiting the graves of Jewish religious figures.

She said she has followed a kosher lifestyle for more than 20 years and has observed Shabbat for many years. Maples also noted that Trump’s daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism, giving Trump extensive exposure to Jewish traditions.

Maples recalled a frightening incident in Nigeria about 20 years ago when she said three armed men stopped her group, pointed guns at them and forced them to lie on the ground.

During the ordeal, she said she began reciting the Shema, the central Jewish declaration of faith.

“I said, ‘God, your hand is in everything,’” Maples recalled. She said the men eventually left and that the experience strengthened her connection to the prayer, which she said she now recites every morning.

Maples also spoke about her relationship with Trump’s family. She said she and Melania Trump exchange messages and that the first lady has always been kind to her and her daughter, Tiffany.

She said she has also worked to maintain close relationships between Tiffany and Trump’s children from his first marriage, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump. She said the family now spends time together during holidays.

Maples expressed strong support for Israel following the Oct. 7 attack and criticized rising antisemitism in the United States.

“The antisemitism that we see here in the United States breaks my heart,” she said, adding that she prays and “sends light” and was moved by how Israelis came together after the attack.

Maples also discussed her connection to Israel through her daughter Tiffany’s marriage to Michael Boulos. Boulos’ father, Massad Boulos, has served as a Trump adviser on Africa and the Middle East. Maples said she believes Trump wants peace rather than war.

Beyond her spiritual interests, Maples is working with Israeli entrepreneur Niv Yaakobi on a wellness venture that is expected to launch first in Israel and in Hebrew. She also described Israeli singer Eden Ben Zaken as her favorite Israeli singer after the two worked together.

Maples said her spiritual practices, including meditation and wellness, remain an important part of her life.

But her account of Trump carrying the Zohar close to his heart stands out as one of the most unusual details she has publicly shared about the president’s personal spiritual life.