Trump, truth and the first 100 days
We speak with Trump supporter Scottie Nell Hughes, and debate why the majority of evangelical Christians voted Trump.
On April 29, it will be 100 days since US President Donald Trump took office.
In this UpFront special, we speak to former Trump campaign surrogate Scottie Nell Hughes, who was once called “the world’s most loyal Trump supporter”, and ask her whether Trump has fulfilled his campaign promise of swift action once in power.
And in the Arena, we debate the reasons why a majority of evangelical Christians cast their vote for Trump.
Can we believe a word Trump says?
From China to NATO to pledges of non-interventionism, US president Donald Trump seems to have done an about-face on many of his policy positions during the campaign.
In the case of Syria, Trump, who once urged then-President Barack Obama to not get involved, launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase.
But why the sudden shift?
“This is showing the world there’s a new sheriff in town, and this pacified form of foreign policy for the last eight years under Barack Obama is no more,” says Scottie Nell Hughes, author of Roar: The New Conservative Woman Speaks Out. “He’s actually getting ahead of the game and sending the message [of peace through strength].”
In this interview, former Trump campaign surrogate Scottie Nell Hughes defends his first 100 days.
Arena – Why do Christian evangelicals have faith in Trump?
The majority of evangelical Christians cast their ballot for Trump, with more than 80 percent of white Evangelicals voting him into office.
What is it about Trump’s promise that evangelicals found so appealing?
“Hillary Clinton was so frightening to so many people,” says Eric Metaxas, author of the best-selling book, If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of American Liberty. “The Christian faith is about grace and forgiveness more than it is about moralism.”
“There has never been a racial divide like this in the churches,” says Jim Wallis, the president of Sojourners, a Christian social justice organisation. “Black evangelicals, Hispanic evangelicals … did not vote for Donald Trump, so white evangelicals did – I think because they’re more white than evangelical.”
In this week’s Arena, former Barack Obama and George W Bush spiritual adviser Jim Wallis debates with Christian radio host and Trump supporter Eric Metaxas on the reasons behind evangelical faith in Trump.
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Editor’s note: We apologise to our viewers for the technical issues with the New York connection.