Trump makes his pitch to faith leaders in North Carolina

CONCORD, North Carolina — On Monday, at an event dubbed an “11th Hour Faith Leaders Meeting” near Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump’s speech to the largely Christian audience focused on school choice, gender issues and religious liberty — but he avoided mentioning abortion altogether.
In his first run for president, Donald Trump courted Christians by vowing to end Roe v. Wade. In his second run, he took credit for installing the Supreme Court justices who could do it.
Now, two weeks away from his third Election Day, Trump and Republicans find themselves in difficult political territory after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022. Instead of calling for a nationwide abortion legislation, Trump now supports the Court’s directive to allow each state to decide.
In a presidential campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris, who is staunchly pro-abortion rights, Trump is pivoting to issues less politically difficult for Republicans.
On Monday, speaking to a group of faith leaders, Trump completely sidestepped the issue during his 57-minute speech. Instead, he pitched himself as a person of faith while reminiscing about his experiences attending a Presbyterian church as a child.
“As I look back at my life’s journey and events, I now recognize that it’s been the hand of God leading me to where I am today,” he said.
Trump recounted the attempted assassination in July, saying his faith “took on new meaning” that day. “I was knocked to the ground, essentially, by what seemed like a supernatural hand, and I would like to think that God saved me for a purpose, and that’s to make our country greater than ever before.”
He concluded by chiding Christian voters for not turning out in elections. “You have a reputation of not voting proportionately, like you should. You do know that,” he said. “I think that may be a form of rebellion? Could that be possible?”
He specifically signaled out Catholics and evangelicals. “I don’t know how many Catholics are here, but if you’re Catholic, there is no way you can be voting for these people (Democrats),” he said. “Catholics are treated worse than anybody. And by the way, evangelicals are next.”
Trump’s silence on abortion was not the only deviation from past cycles. Instead of viewing Trump as a strong leader with flawed character, as many conservative faith leaders once did, attendees at Monday’s event painted Trump as a God-fearing man sent from heaven to save the country.
Ben Carson, who serves as the Trump campaign’s director of faith outreach, said the 2024 election will decide if we have “a secular nation, or one nation under God.” Carson — who, while running against Trump for the 2016 Republican nomination, questioned the sincerity of Trump’s faith — defended Trump during his speech Monday. “Unless Jesus Christ is on the ballot, you’re always choosing between the lesser of two evils,” he said.
Others were more direct in their praise of Trump’s perceived faith. Lee Greenwood, who sells custom Bibles with Trump, introduced him. Eric Trump, the former president’s son, also spoke, saying there is a “miraculous light” that follows his father. “It is so clear to me, more so than ever before, that he was put here for this mission to save this country,” he said.
To Eric Trump and other speakers, the “persecution” that has followed his father — the indictments, attempted assassinations, and lawsuits — is a sign of divine favor. Carson said the Left has tried “everything” to stop Trump, then paraphrased the Old Testament: “If God be for you, who can be against you?” Peter Navarro, the former Trump administration official who was imprisoned for refusing to comply with Congress’ investigation of January 6, quoted the Sermon on the Mount, saying Trump was “blessed” for being “persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”
“There’s a spiritual element that’s at work here,” Franklin Graham, the evangelist, said. “There are dark forces that are arrayed against this man.”
To the audience — most Christian, some not — the message was clear. “Getting Donald Trump back in office is imperative to this nation,” said Wendi Burton-Cline, a Pagan clergy member in attendance with her Christian wife, who live in Conover, North Carolina. “We need love and we need God back in back where he belongs.”
Harlan Fagan, who was born Jewish, agreed. “He’s the only one who can save America,” Fagan, 69, said.
In a shift from the religious right’s embrace of Trump in 2016, when many justified supporting Trump because of his policies and in spite of his character, it now seems the inverse is true: even if some disagree with Trump on issues like abortion, they support his persona. “Trump speaks about love and coming together and togetherness and family,” Burton-Cline, the Pagan priestess, said.
Terry Boyles, the father of a Baptist preacher, agreed. “I believe he’s turned his life around over the years,” he said. “The best thing in his life is his wife. She’s a good Christian. And I’ve got to give Trump credit. He’s trying.”
As a sign of Trump’s perceived change, Boyles said, “You don’t hear him say no bad words no more.” When I mentioned that Trump had called Harris a “(expletive) vice president” the night before, Boyles shrugged his shoulders. “Well, true,” he said.
More important than moral purity to these voters, it seems, is foreordination, and to them, Trump has been chosen. Franklin Graham, to conclude his remarks, invited all to rise and to pray vocally. A hum of whispers and some shouts filled the room. Graham finished by offering his own prayer. “We pray, if it be your will, that Trump will win this election,” he said.
Another televangelist, Guillermo Maldonado, was more confident in his prayer. “Let your will be done on earth,” he prayed. “And we declare today, in this place, that our next president of the United States will be President Trump.” The audience clapped and said “amen.”