4 highlights from the White House Summit of Faith and Business Leaders
2. Trump touts new policy allowing pastors to endorse political candidates
Much of Trump's remarks at the event consisted of highlighting what he viewed as the major accomplishments of his administration so far.
"As president, I've ended the radical left war on faith, and we're once again protecting religious freedom like never before in our country," he said.
Trump touted "getting rid of the Johnson Amendment that didn't let the pastors and ministers and everybody speak about politics." He contended that in the absence of the Johnson Amendment, which was passed in 1954 to prevent nonprofits from endorsing political candidates, pastors now have the ability to say, "I don't like that guy."
In a legal filing last week, the IRS confirmed that religious leaders who endorse political candidates from the pulpit or through their church communications will not lose their tax-exempt status, drawing praise from conservative and progressive Christian leaders and criticism from secular legal groups.
The president recalled how many religious leaders supported him in his first presidential bid in 2016. But he claims they declined to endorse him because of concerns of losing their tax-exempt status under the Johnson Amendment. He described how, during "a meeting with 50 faith leaders" in 2015, then-candidate Trump informed them that "I'd love to have your endorsement."
Trump expressed concern that the religious leaders "didn't say anything" due to their concerns about the Johnson Amendment, maintaining that he was unaware of the longstanding provision because he was new to politics.
In a subsequent meeting with religious leaders ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Trump vowed to get rid of the Johnson Amendment. In 2017, Trump instructed the IRS to relax enforcement of the Johnson Amendment on churches.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
