JTFMax:

During President Donald Trump's first four years in office, white evangelicals grappled with an identity crisis. As several high-profile evangelical leaders quietly ditch Trump going into the 2024 presidential cycle, Trump slams the religious right for being “disloyal” and failing to fight hard enough in the midterms. The Christian Right has supported him, and his policies have benefited many Christians, but the moral character of his administration has been questioned. Among other things, President Trump has appointed three conservative Supreme Court justices.

White evangelicals are also divided over whether or not Trump is a religious leader or a politician. There has been plenty of debate over the President's sexual behavior. He has also made a few controversial remarks. Some have argued that his sexually aggressive comments on a leaked tape were not a Christian edifice. In contrast, others have argued that they are a defining feature of a modern-day "Godly Businessman."

Historically, evangelicals have had a vested interest in electing the right candidate to the office of President. While Trump has sparked debate over his nativism, his campaign has provided a window into how the religious community has changed over the past few decades.

Typically, evangelicals vote for a Republican presidential nominee. A recent poll of evangelical voters found that nearly seventy percent of evangelicals supported Donald Trump in the 2016 election. However, a recent survey by Pew Research Center found that a plurality of evangelicals felt President Trump's administration had aided their interests.

Traditionally, evangelicalism is defined by four fundamental tenets: a belief in the spiritual authority of the Bible; an outworking of the faith in social-reform efforts; a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ; and a desire for a spiritual rebirth. Despite its name, evangelicalism is not a centralized religion, with members of the movement spread throughout the nation. In fact, between a quarter and a third of evangelicals are non-white.

Evangelicals have been criticized for several reasons, including their tendency to support candidates that align with the Christian Right. As a result, they have been accused of ignoring the merits of their beliefs. But some thoughtful Christians have offered alternative approaches to evangelism that are more inclusive and egalitarian.

While evangelicals have traditionally favored the Republican Party, Trump's campaign has led to a growing division among the religious community. For example, a deacon from a church in New England left the congregation because the pastor did not make an effort to encourage his followers to vote for the President. Other evangelicals have complained that Trump has "used" them.

Evangelicals are split along generational lines. Generally, younger people are attracted to issues that older evangelicals are not as interested in. This is true of women and gay rights. One of the best-known evangelicals, Franklin Graham, has disparaged Islam and gay marriage and has pushed for a pro-life stance.

The National Association of Evangelicals is the largest umbrella organization for evangelicals. It represents millions of members in 45,000 churches from 40 denominations. Robert Jeffress, a well-known evangelical, says he would support Donald Trump again if he were nominated for the presidency. Although the evangelical community is still split on the issue, it is clear that Trump has a lot of flaws.