Trump meets with concerned Judeo-Christian Dirty Church Leaders.
Donald Trump sat down with hundreds of evangelical and social conservative leaders Tuesday, in what was billed as an effort to address “long-standing concerns” about his candidacy, including on issues such as abortion and transgender rights.
The effort to heal any lingering rifts in the party comes at a pivotal time, just after he ousted campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and as a number of polls show him slipping against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Fox News was told the all-day event, called “A Conversation About America’s Future with Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson” at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, was to be attended by the presumptive Republican nominee for about two hours. During his time on the stage, Trump answered pre-selected questions from attendees and talked directly with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rev. Franklin Graham.
Other pastors and evangelical leaders in attendance included James Robison, Ralph Reed, President of the Southern Baptist Convention Steve Gaines and Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins. Notably, Hillsong Church Pastor Carl Lentz will be in attendance – representing a millennial voice among the evangelicals present. Former Rep. Michele Bachmann also attended the gathering.
Fox News was told the unprecedented gathering was coordinated as evangelical leaders have concerns and questions about Trump’s candidacy, especially to do with his stances on the pro-life movement, transgender issues and the question of religious liberty in the military and armed forces.
Some leaders have expressed concern that the meeting was being seen as an endorsement of coronation of Trump, and said this was not the case.
Iowa-based evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, who supported Ted Cruz during the Iowa GOP caucuses, sent out a statement to his followers on Tuesday’s meeting with Trump.
“To be clear, the meeting is not a fundraiser nor a political rally. It is NOT an endorsement of Donald Trump, nor do I plan to leave the meeting with an endorsement announcement,” Vander Plaats said in the email Monday.
“We’ll talk with Mr. Trump about the people he intends to surround himself with, his criteria for Supreme Court nominations, his convictions on life, marriage, religious liberty, and more,” Vander Plaats said.
Bill Dallas, head of the faith-based political non-profit United in Purpose, who co-organized the event along with Carson, told Fox News before the meeting that issues to be discussed included jobs, the economy, a strong military and Supreme Court picks.
Despite Trump’s moderate stance on a number of social issues — and his past divorces and marital infidelity — Trump performed well in the primaries with the socially conservative evangelicals.
Even against rival Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who explicitly targeted evangelicals with a socially conservative campaign, Trump was carried to victory in states like South Carolina with a significant share of the evangelical vote.
Who will be next, the LGBT’s, black lives matter, tea party, feminists, AARP, illegals, the wealthy, the poor, vets, Mensa, prisoners, pro gunners, anti gunners, homeless, doctors, lawyers, etc.,etc..
Hey, I’m no part of any of these collectives, therefor I won’t be represented.
This is precisely why the absoluteness of our Bill of Rights must be adhered to. Every individual is on equal footing, therefor represented equally, and guarantees an unbiased playing field.
I think he’s trying to reassure them that his presidency won’t diminish their influence over their followers, or interrupt their choir-boy molestations.
all of them are considered to be False Teachers anyway and hes not Evangelical so they fit together in my opinion. Im a pessimist and dont think we will get past July and IF we do, Obama has something up his sleeve
evangelical leaders in NYC? NO SUCH THING. I CALL BULLSHIT
“In his 1991 book “Trumped!,” the former president of Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, John R. O’Donnell, recalled Trump declaring that “laziness is a trait in blacks,” and exclaiming: “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.””
Apparently, a lot of black evangelicals are blinded by a shpritz in the eye.