Trump receives backing of Christian Community
On the surface, Donald Trump does not appear to be a Christian and does not exemplify Christian virtues, but the US president-elect has long cultivated strong support among conservatives, who have dubbed him, “God’s Chosen”.
Trump has been likened to King Cyrus, selected by God in order to protect God’s special people and restore Christian America. Evangelical and Pentecostal conservatives are a powerful force in Republican politics and many have stuck by Trump for three presidential elections in a row despite his many failings. He got about 80 percent of the white evangelical Christian vote in 2016 and 2020. Their support in this 2024 election was crucial to him becoming the 47th President of the United States.
According to NBC’s exit poll, as in the 2020 and 2016 elections, Trump kept a steady hold on the support of white Evangelical Christians, taking 81 per cent of their vote. He also extended his lead among Roman Catholic voters to 15 per cent: 56 to 41. His support among Jewish voters, however, fell from 30 per cent in 2020 to 21 per cent.
Trump, 78, served as the 45th president between 2017 and 2021 but lost to incumbent Joe Biden in 2020. He now becomes the first president since Grover Cleveland in 1893 to return to the White House after losing a re-election bid.
The billionaire declared election victory with an appearance at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday, telling his supporters:
“This is the greatest political movement of all time, there’s never been anything like this… This will forever be remembered as the day the American people regained control of their country.”
He also referenced almost losing his life in an assassination attempt.
“Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason,” he said. “And that reason was to save our country and restore America to greatness…and now we are going to fulfil that mission together.”
Trump’s campaign was infused with Christian messaging as he coasted to his destination, the White House. Many of the T-shirts and hats that were worn and sold at the varying rallies he attended proclaimed religious slogans such as “Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president”, “God, Guns & Trump” and “Make America Godly Again.” Many Christians have cited their opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, particularly as it relates to transgender expressions which was being pushed by the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. The Christian voters believed Trump shared their Christian faith and values.
According to the Church Times, prayer vigils had been held in churches across the US as votes were being cast, with the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Dr Sean Rowe, attending election-night virtual prayers, where he offered a reflection and gave thanks for free and fair elections. He said: “Tonight, tomorrow, and in the days ahead, we Christians have a responsibility to be agents of peace and reconciliation in our communities, both online communities and geographic communities.”
The doors of Washington National Cathedral were opened for a vigil, as were those of churches across the country.
The Revd Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, posted on Facebook that he was praying for Mr Trump. “Congratulations to Donald J Trump on being elected the 47th president of the United States of America! I pray that you will look to God every day for His guidance and wisdom,” he wrote.
