USA – Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is scheduled on Thursday to attend a private gathering of pastors in Orlando, Fla., hosted by the America Renewal Project, which describes itself as “people of faith affecting public policy” but critics say propagates anti-gay bias.
He is expected to talk about his proposal to repeal a federal regulation that precludes pastors from making endorsements from their pulpits.
Mr. Trump, a thrice-married former casino owner who once supported abortion rights, doesn’t have longstanding ties to the religious right and has been trying to consolidate support from evangelicals.
On the other hand, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has endorsed Mr. Trump but criticized his rhetoric about immigrants as divisive, is slated to address the group Friday.
His Democratic opponent, Patrick Murphy, is condemning Mr. Rubio for attending what he described as an “anti-LBGT rally” on the two-month anniversary of the June massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub just a few miles away.
Mr. Trump’s campaign spokeswoman said the event will not be open to press.
June 21, 2016, Donald Trump had a crucial meeting with nearly 1,000 Christian conservatives. Here, he told them that he is a “tremendous believer” and that rather than praying for all the nation’s leaders they should “pray to get everybody out to vote for one specific person.”
Pastor Michael Anthony, who is president of the company Godfactor and founder of the National Week of Repentance, says he witnessed a much different Donald Trump at this evangelical meeting in Times Square.
About 10,000 questions were submitted ahead of the conference so not all the topics could be discussed. As such, Trump stuck to some of the most prominent issues like the First Amendment and the Supreme Court.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
