Former President Donald Trump called on Christians to support his presidential candidacy, pledging if elected to “protect God in the public square,” defend Christian television channels and their “pro-God” content » against censorship, and to appoint a task force to fight against anti-Christians. bias, including federal prosecutions.
Trump spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of about 1,500 people Thursday evening during a presidential forum at the National Religious Broadcasters’ annual conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville. THE The nonprofit’s annual convention takes place this week in Music City.
Many in the crowd wore red and white hats with the phrase “Make America Pray Again,” provided by conference sponsor Pray.com, as wild cheers erupted to welcome the former president.
“I really believe that’s the biggest thing this country is missing, the most important thing. We must bring back our religion. We have to bring back Christianity,” Trump said, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
Despite a tight schedule of court appearances and campaigning, Trump appeared in Nashville just two days before the South Carolina primary. The former president is the favorite against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in his home state — as he is here in Tennessee. Here in the Volunteer State, voters will cast their ballots on Super Tuesday on March 5th. Early voting is already underway.
NRB President Troy Miller said the organization invited all eligible candidates from both parties to participate in the presidential forum, and that Trump was the only candidate available to attend. The NRB did not support Trump’s presidential candidacy.
Lines for the presidential forum were already snaking through the lobby of the Opryland Hotel just after 3 p.m. But Trump, who was scheduled to take the stage around 8 p.m. CT, kept the excited crowd waiting.
The room was far from crowded. Around 8:40 p.m., nearly an hour before Trump took the stage, staff began urgently removing hundreds of chairs from the back corner of the room. There were about 200 empty seats on the other side of the room.
Before Trump took the stage, the crowd stood to recognize “the January 6 hostages,” referring to those facing federal charges for their role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. His speech began at 9:42 p.m. and ended shortly before 11 p.m.
During his opening speech, Trump blamed the delay on poor weather conditions during his flight.
“We will protect God in our public square”
Trump asked the Christian media and media crowd to support his White House bid, pledging to defend Christians against domestic persecution, censorship and violations of their rights.
He denounced the Recent convictions of six anti-abortion protesters arrested in 2021 for blocking the entrance to a Mt. Juliet reproductive health clinic where abortions are performed. The group faces up to 10.5 years in prison and fines of more than a quarter of a million dollars for their actions.
“Let’s call these brave Americans what they really are: persecuted Christians,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Trump accused the Biden administration of “targeting Christian believers” and pledged, if re-elected, to appoint a special task force “to expeditiously review the cases of every political prisoner.”
“Remember that all communist regimes throughout history have tried to eradicate churches – just as all fascist regimes try to rise up and control them,” he said. “In the United States, the radical left is trying to do both at the same time. »
Trump pledged to create a new federal task force to “combat anti-Christian bias.”
“His mission will be to investigate all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment and persecution against Christians in America,” Trump said.
“No one will touch the cross of Christ under the Trump administration,” he added, to loud applause from the crowd.
Trump also claimed without evidence that religious channels were “under siege,” pledging if elected to “protect pro-God content.”
“We will protect God in our public square,” Trump said. “I will not allow left-wing media or groups to silence you, censor you, discriminate against you, or in any way tell you what you need to say.”
Trump briefly mentioned his multiple criminal charges, calling them political persecution.
“I’m taking all these arrows for you and I’m so proud to take them,” he said. “I am accused for you,” holding out my arms as if on a cross.
He touted efforts to support Israel during his presidency, citing his administration’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem – and pledged to “stand strong” with Israel – drawing a standing ovation standing of a large part of the crowd.
During his speech, Trump invited former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman to the stage to make remarks. Friedman, who wore a medallion around his neck in memory of the more than 100 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas, told Trump that the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel “would not have happened” if Trump had always been in power.
The crowd repeatedly stood to applaud as Trump rattled off a list of other priorities, including expanding school choice options, abolishing the U.S. Department of Education, securing the southern border of United States with Mexico, the defeat of the “toxic force of gender ideology”, the maintenance of “men”. women’s sports” and “banning child mutilation in all 50 states.”
“At the end of the day, we don’t answer to the bureaucrats in Washington, we answer to God in heaven,” Trump said.
“He’s one of us.”
Participants were overwhelmingly supportive of the former president and much of the lecture focused on similar themes to his speech.
Fritz Von Tagen of Washington state traveled to Nashville for the NRB conference to showcase his company, which develops backgrounds for virtual reality television. Von Tagen, who wore a red MAGA hat and an Israeli flag pin, said he hoped Trump was re-elected for the sake of small business owners, like himself.
“I want to hear his plan to rebuild our country. We are suffering greatly,” Von Tagen told The Tennessean. “Our business really started to grow until this last administration. Everything is fine, but not as well as it normally would be.
“There are a lot more people working now who don’t know anything about the English language. They don’t speak English,” Von Tagen added. “I feel bad that all these illegals are taking jobs away from Americans.”
Kentucky’s Jim Sheldon, whose company is also exhibiting at NRB, said he looked forward to hearing directly from the former president, without “any interpretation.”
“Trump is truly, I think, one of us,” Sheldon said. “He’s a billionaire, but he’s one of us.”
Vivian Jones covers politics and state government for The Tennessean. Contact her at vjones@tennessean.com.
