Trump Used Derogatory ‘Colorful Language’ for Evangelicals in 2016, New Book Reveals: “Pieces of SH*T”

In the 2016 Republican primaries, former President Donald Trump reportedly made some very derogatory remarks about evangelical Christians, according to a new book.

Tim Alberta of The Atlantic reported in his upcoming book The Kingdom, The Power, And The Glory: American Evangelicals In An Age Of Extremism that the then-candidate labeled evangelicals who supported rival Republican hopeful Texas Senator Ted Cruz "some real pieces of shit" and "so-called Christians," per HuffPost.

Early in the book, per The Guardian, Alberta discusses the aftermath of an incident that occurred at Virginia's evangelical Liberty University just before the January 2016 election in Iowa. Evangelicals are a potent constituency in every Republican race, and as candidates fought for their support, Trump was asked to share his favorite Bible quote.

In an attempt to heed the counsel of Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, the reality TV personality and thrice-married, not-so-church-going millionaire from New York started it as "Two Corinthians" instead of "Second Corinthians," as would have been the proper title. “The laughter and ridicule were embarrassing enough for Trump,” Alberta writes. “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.”

Alberta shared 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. Trump refused to accept defeat, continuing to propagate the false narrative that voter fraud caused his loss.

Now that he is the overwhelming favorite to be the nominee once more, he has maintained his dominance over Republican politics. Trump will struggle to secure evangelical votes this year. Trump's disparaging remarks surfaced just days after prominent Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats—who purportedly supported Trump in both 2016 and 2020—extended his whole support to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R). “I think America would be well served to have a choice, and I believe Ron DeSantis should be that guy,” Vander Plaats said when endorsing DeSantis. “And I think Iowa is tailor-made for him to win this.”

Several prominent 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.”

Robert Jeffress, a Trump 2016 adviser, said about Trump, “The Republican Party is headed toward a civil war that I have no desire or need to be part of.” However, he said that he would be "happy" to support the four-time indicted Trump as the candidate.