White Christians: Trump May Not Be a Good Person, But He Is a Good President

New Pew Research data details the mixed feelings among Trump’s faithful supporters.

Over the past few years, many evangelicals have hesitated to give President Donald Trump their wholehearted approval, claiming they support his political stances but can’t fully endorse his personal life.

In a new survey from Pew Research Center, white evangelicals have somewhat mixed views on the president. While they remain a core constituency of Trump’s, and back him at higher rates than any other religious group, their enthusiasm wavers when it comes to his character and conduct.

Just 15 percent of white evangelicals say “morally upstanding” describes the president very well; a quarter say “honest” is a very good descriptor of him; and fewer than a third say they “like” Trump’s behavior.

In most cases, the plurality of white evangelicals fall in the middle of the survey responses, instead saying he’s fairly moral or fairly honest, or that they have mixed feelings about the way Trump conducts himself. There’s a sizable jump between the 12 percent of white evangelicals who believe Trump to be “very religious” and the 52 percent who say he’s somewhat religious.

Evangelicals who defend Trump have sometimes stated that they “aren’t looking for a pastor in chief” and that they judge politicians by their policies rather than their personal piety.

Of course, morals still matter to evangelical voters, but according to Pew, not quite as much as whether a leader is on their side.

While 63 percent of white evangelicals prioritize political leaders’ sense of morality and ethics, 67 percent say it’s just as important that they stand up for people with their religious beliefs.

White Christians agree that the president is “self-centered” ...