Paula White: Donald Trump wanted to attend Orlando shooting prayer vigil for victims

Televangelist Paula White said her friend and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reached out to her in the wake of the Orlando shooting on Sunday, June 12.

White said she received a text message from Trump through his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski between her church's morning services, asking her what Trump could do to help. White pastors the 10,000-member New Destiny Christian Center, which is just 20 minutes away from Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

"'He'll be there if you need him to for a prayer vigil,'" read the text message from Trump's campaign manager, as White told TIME in an interview. She added: "It was not, what can we do for political advantage, it was what can we actually do. His call to me was genuine concern, care and compassion."

She said Trump also asked her how the city was doing and even mentioned a possible visit.

White has known Trump for 14 years. She has helped him with his campaign, connecting him with other evangelical church leaders.

When asked about Trump's controversial tweets following the Orlando shooting, White said she has not seen the tweets personally. However, she commented that the U.S. has a "very open door policy."

"The bottom line is there is a crisis in our city, and there are hurting people," White said.

Trump earlier called on Pres. Barack Obama to "resign in disgrace" for not calling the tragedy an act of "Islamic terrorism."

Omar Mateen, an ISIS sympathizer, opened fire at Pulse nightclub, a known hangout for gays. The shooting left 50 dead, including Mateen, and 53 others injured.

"Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!" Trump said in a tweet. The post immediately caught public attention, with Pres. Barack Obama reacting to the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism."

"The reason I am careful about how I describe this threat has nothing to do with political correctness and everything to do with defeating extremism," Obama said, according to ABC News.

Trump called for the resignation of Obama after the Orlando massacre. He said such tragedies happen because the leaders are "weak." He emphasized that Americans can no longer afford to be politically correct, The Telegraph reported.

Trump initially planned to attend a prayer vigil that was supposed to be held on the evening of Monday, June 13. Pastor Mark Burns told TIME that Trump asked him to lead the prayer rally, which will be a time used purely for prayer and not campaigns.

However, Trump later canceled the Monday night prayer vigil, citing the "horrific tragedy" that took place in Orlando.