New Book Claims Donald Trump Used ‘Colorful’ Words Against Evangelicals During 2016 Presidential Race
This time, in his speech directed at evangelical Christians, Donald Trump has once again courted controversy with his incendiary tirades. According to The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta's upcoming book: The Kingdom, The Power, And The Glory: American Evangelicals In An Age Of Extremism the former president mocked religious Christians during his Republican race in 2016. As per the extract released by The Guardian on Thursday ahead of the book's Dec. 5 release, the Republican leader described evangelicals supporting the then-rival Republican hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) as “so-called Christians” and “some real pieces of shit.”
During the 2016 presidential race, the billionaire tycoon was asked what his favorite Bible verse is, Trump, who attempted to heed the counsel of Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, said "Two Corinthians" instead of "Second Corinthians," as would have been the proper title in the Holy Bible. “The laughter and ridicule were embarrassing enough for Trump,” The Atlantic's famed reporter Alberta wrote in the book recalling the incident. “But the news of Perkins endorsing Ted Cruz, just a few days later, sent him into a spiral. He began to speculate that there was a conspiracy among powerful evangelicals to deny him the GOP nomination. When Cruz’s allies began using the ‘Two Corinthians’ line to attack him in the final days before the Iowa caucuses, Trump told one Iowa Republican official, ‘You know, these so-called Christians hanging around with Ted are some real pieces of shit.’”
Alberta went on to add in the book that “in private over the coming years”, Trump “would use even more colorful language to describe the evangelical community”. Cruz prevailed in Iowa, but Trump easily claimed the nomination in the second primary, which was held in New Hampshire. Joe Biden defeated him in 2020, following four turbulent years in the White House following his victory over Hillary Clinton. As per Huff Post, this week, Trump's disparaging remarks surfaced when prominent Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, who purportedly supported Trump in both 2016 and 2020, extended his whole support to Republican hopeful Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “I think America would be well served to have a choice, and I believe Ron DeSantis should be that guy,” Vander Plaats stated while turning his support to DeSantis. “And I think Iowa is tailor-made for him to win this. ”
Numerous influential evangelical leaders declared in November of last year that they were now abandoning Trump—at least temporarily. “Donald Trump can’t save America,” Mike Evans said at the time. “He can’t even save himself.” “The Republican Party is headed toward a civil war that I have no desire or need to be part of,” alleged Robert Jeffress, a Trump 2016 adviser. However, he said that he would be "happy" to support the four-time indicted Trump as the nominee.
