Here's why white evangelical Christians are more excited about Trump than ever


Many white evangelical Christians voted reluctantly for President Trump in 2016, seeing him as the lesser evil to Hillary Clinton, "but now, many are genuinely delighted by the Trump they've seen in office," The Washington Post reports, citing interviews with 50 evangelicals in Wisconsin, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
Trump got a higher percentage of white evangelical voters than the previous three Republican nominees, and Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, predicts he'll meet or beat that in 2020. Polling supports that claim. White evangelicals fawning over a thrice-married, adulterous, Bible-mangling blasphemer confuses a lot of people, but not the evangelicals who spoke with the Post.
First, many white evangelicals appreciate that Trump bullies the secular left on their behalf, talking about God in public and loudly criticizing liberal views on abortion, gay rights, and gender, especially after what "felt like a nightmare" of Obama's eight-year presidency, the Post reports. Trump promised to fight for and defend evangelicals, Reed said. "He gets it. He knows they're hungry for that." Evangelicals pay special attention to the courts — Trump is going gangbusters in appointing young conservative judges — and they believe Trump shares their values on social issues and policy. Some believe Trump prays because evangelical leaders back him.
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.
For many white evangelicals, Trump's past extramarital affairs and even the myriad allegations of sexual assault "are not a moral concern," the Post reports, in part because evangelicals believe the Bible teaches that women should be submissive to men. "Do not campaign on somebody's personal shortcomings," Reed advised. "History says voters are very forgiving. And they don't like hearing it."
Earlier this week, conservative analysts Matt Lewis and Ben Howe discussed the various rationalizations evangelicals use to explain their support for Trump. The "lesser evil" argument is "the most defensible," they agreed, but for many Trump-supporting evangelicals, "it wasn't a lesser evil to them," Howe said. "This is what they want. They like how Trump does things. They get excited at the fact that he's having sex with porn stars throughout his life."
Listen to the entire podcast interview and read the quotes from swing-state evangelicals at The Washington Post.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
An introvert's dream? Flu camps that offer £4,400 to spend two weeks alone
Under The Radar A fortnight in isolation may not be as blissful as it sounds
-
Can Trump put his tariffs on stronger legal footing?
Today's Big Question Appeals court says 'emergency' tariffs are improper
-
Film reviews: The Roses, Splitsville, and Twinless
Feature A happy union devolves into domestic warfare, a couple's open marriage reaps chaos, and an unlikely friendship takes surprising turns
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play