Donald Trump received a standing ovation heading into a meeting with evangelical Christian leaders Tuesday and on the way out, as the New York billionaire sought to assure social conservatives that he is on their side following some of the rockiest weeks of his presidential campaign.
Mr. Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, vowed at the forum, moderated by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at a hotel in New York City, to nominate pro-life judges to the Supreme Court and to defend pastors that address politics from the pulpit.
“He got a standing ovation going in and a standing ovation going out,” said Terry Schilling, executive director of the American Principles Project, who attended the event. “I think the people weren’t just satisfied with his answers, but will be excited to go to the polls with him in November.”
Mr. Trump was joined by retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who emerged as a favorite of the religious right during the GOP presidential primary and endorsed Mr. Trump after exiting the race.
Mr. Schilling said Mr. Trump told the hundreds in attendance that he would push to put pro-life justices on the Supreme Court, and made the case that “’Hillary Clinton is going to nominate anti-gun, anti-religious freedom, and anti-life justices to the to Supreme Court.”
He also outlined his support for a proposal to protect the tax-exempt status of churches, as well as political-minded pastors.
“He was very bold on that,” Mr. Schilling said.
James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council, and Ralph Reed, head of the Faith and Freedom Conference, were among the Christian leaders expected to attend the event.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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