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I Want To Give Power Back To The Church – Donald Trump

Feb 24, 2016



U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally at the Sumter Civic Center in Sumter, South Carolina, February 17, 2016. REUTERS/Randall Hill



In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, Donald Trump wants to see Christian pastors speak more boldly from the pulpit because as he sees it, “the church has to have more power.” He’s referring to the passage of The Johnson Amendment in which the U.S. tax code was altered so that tax-exempt organizations (like churches in many instances) would not be allowed to endorse or oppose political candidates.



Trump says the federal government should never have done that. “They’ve taken a lot of the power away from the church. I want to give power back to the church. … Christianity is really being chopped; little by little it’s being taken away.”



Trump continues: “I want pastors and ministers to be able and get up and speak on behalf of Christianity, and they’re afraid to do it right now because they don’t want to lose their tax exempt status. We will take care of that.”



The Brody File has interviewed Trump numerous times, and this is the first time he’s ever mentioned the Johnson amendment as it relates to pastors speaking out from the pulpit.



Trump leads with evangelicals in South Carolina. His no-nonsense strong approach is attractive to some evangelicals. In public, he can be rough around the edges for sure but his narrative is of a guy who gets things done.



His brand is accomplishment and so when he says he’s going to “take care of the evangelicals” and start winning again for Christianity, many people believe him at face value. It’s a great “trump” card to have in your political hip pocket.