A prominent Southern Baptist pastor is calling for a chaplain to be appointed to the White House, just as the Senate and House of Representatives both have chaplains already.

Wiley Drake, who heads the Congressional Prayer Conference, said in a press notice that the conference's efforts to ask President Donald Trump to establish an office of Chaplain of the White House will begin today.

"We have an office for Chaplain of the US Senate and for the House of Representatives," he said.

"We now need an Office of Chaplain for the White House.

"We are asking Mr Trump to set this office up to help us seek Jesus in all that we do.

"We are in a new day and we need God's help to guide us as we pray America back to one nation under God."

Drake, a Southern Baptist from Buena Park, California, was once subject to strong criticism after he delivered an imprecatory prayer about Barack Obama. 

Since 2011, chaplains of the House of Representatives and Senate can be of any faith, although all so far have been Christian. The current chaplain of the House is Father Patrick Conroy, the first Jesuit in the post. The current Senate chaplain is Barry Black, a retired Navy Rear Admiral.

He is the first African-American and the first Seventh-day Adventist in the post and is revered for his Bible-based Christian beliefs as well as his deep, sonorous voice – heard by nations around the world when he delivered the prayer at the Inauguration Luncheon for new President Donald Trump.

In the past, some people have referred to evangelist Billy Graham as the unofficial White House chaplain.