In an interview Tuesday morning on CNN, wealthy GOP donor Foster Friess explained why supporting Donald Trump — who has been married multiple times and has bragged about grabbing women by the genitals — is actually very compatible with Christian values. "I don't think [Christian voters] should be conflicted if they're really embracing their Christian values," said Friess, in a pitch to win over Christians shying away from supporting the Republican presidential candidate because of his controversial comments.
Friess argued that because "one of the gifts Jesus gave us was forgiveness," the Christian thing to do would actually be to forgive Trump for his past sins. "What value is our Christian faith if we don't forgive someone who's seeking to move forward?" Friess said, noting the "whole message of Christianity here is evident in Donald Trump's progress, where you look at where he was 10 years ago and where he is today, we have to be excited about that."
Friess must have missed that time in July when Trump asked CNN's Anderson Cooper, "Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?"
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Watch Friess make his case below. Becca Stanek
-
Rothermere’s Telegraph takeover: ‘a right-leaning media powerhouse’Talking Point Deal gives Daily Mail and General Trust more than 50% of circulation in the UK newspaper market
-
The US-Saudi relationship: too big to fail?Talking Point With the Saudis investing $1 trillion into the US, and Trump granting them ‘major non-Nato ally’ status, for now the two countries need each other
-
Sudoku medium: November 30, 2025The daily medium sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Judge halts Trump’s DC Guard deploymentSpeed Read The Trump administration has ‘infringed upon the District’s right to govern itself,’ the judge ruled
-
Trump accuses Democrats of sedition meriting ‘death’Speed Read The president called for Democratic lawmakers to be arrested for urging the military to refuse illegal orders
-
Court strikes down Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read The Texas congressional map ordered by Trump is likely an illegal racial gerrymander, the court ruled
-
Trump defends Saudi prince, shrugs off Khashoggi murderSpeed Read The president rebuked an ABC News reporter for asking Mohammed bin Salman about the death of a Washington Post journalist at the Saudi Consulate in 2018
-
Congress passes bill to force release of Epstein filesSpeed Read The Justice Department will release all files from its Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation
-
Trump says he will sell F-35 jets to Saudi ArabiaSpeed Read The president plans to make several deals with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week
-
Judge blasts ‘profound’ errors in Comey caseSpeed Read ‘Government misconduct’ may necessitate dismissing the charges against the former FBI director altogether
-
Ecuador rejects push to allow US military basesSpeed Read Voters rejected a repeal of a constitutional ban on US and other foreign military bases in the country
