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For God and Country: The Christian Case for Trump
Evangelicals gave 81% of their votes to Donald Trump in 2016, a record in the history of modern polling. Critics charge that evangelical Trump supporters have revealed themselves to be political prostitutes and hypocrites who surrendered their religious integrity in order to gain access to power, modern-day Pharisees who have so thoroughly compromised their witness that they are now disqualified from speaking out on moral issues in the future.
As a prominent evangelical figure for a quarter century and both a friend of President Trump and a member of his campaign Faith advisory board, Dr. Ralph Reed persuasively argues that evangelicals have a moral obligation to enthusiastically back Trump due to the stridently anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and pro-abortion agenda of the progressive left.
As a prominent evangelical figure for a quarter century and both a friend of President Trump and a member of his campaign Faith advisory board, Dr. Ralph Reed persuasively argues that evangelicals have a moral obligation to enthusiastically back Trump due to the stridently anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and pro-abortion agenda of the progressive left.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2020
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October 24, 2020
NOTE: Such as it is, this is a review of the book, For God and Country and not a political statement about the man, or the presidency of, Donald Trump. I leave politics to those far more qualified than me. I read this book because my only surviving parent, my dear cradle Catholic, 88 year old father, handed it to me and said, “Read this!” In all my life I can only remember him ever urging one other book on me and that was one about the Shroud of Turin. This could be (partially) because he isn’t a big reader, but still, when he asks (okay, insists) I do something, I am bound to oblige him.
That said, Mr. Trump’s adoring fans and those who deeply dislike the man will probably be equally disappointed with this review, because I’m not going to discuss this extremely controversial figure except as he is written about herein.
The author, Dr. Reed, is an Evangelical Protestant, the chairman and CEO if Century Strategies, a public relations and public affairs firm. He has worked on eleven presidential campaigns, founded and serves as the chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a pro-family public policy organization with 2.2 million members and activists. He is the author or editor of seven bestselling books and has had columns in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and National Review. He has a Ph.D. in history from Emory University. He’s married with children and grandchildren. To me as a reader, the most important things about him as an author are the first thing listed and the last: his Christianity and family. However, his insider status in the political world are what qualify him to write this book.
I am not only unqualified to adequately review this book, I’m sure I didn’t appreciate it as much as someone more attuned to politics. Dr. Reed seems to know everyone who is everyone and he stays on top of what is happening in the political realm. He must; it’s his profession. The up and downside of that is, he assumes his readers do as well, a troublesome assumption for such as this reader. In, For God and Country, he covers a lot of ground, going all the way back to when he first talked to Mr. Trump, which was before the 2012 campaigns all the way through the beginning of 2020. Some of what he covered, I remembered. There was also much which was new, yet all was thoroughly footnoted and the least little bit of spot-checking showed he was on top of things. His own credentials, his entire professional career being at stake, it would make no sense for him to fabricate anything here to make a point. His chapter on Brett Kavanaugh, a period I followed very closely, was 100% accurate, yet still made for fascinating reading.
So, while I never doubted what Dr. Reed wrote, I as booklady-ordinary-citizen did have trouble following some parts of the book, especially in the beginning when he seemed to go from present to past (for examples) and back to the present again. Also, I was at a disadvantage not knowing all the myriad of ‘players’, their positions, responsibilities, histories, etc., and where they fitted into the larger political picture. I knew many, but many were also new to me.
One interesting observation which both my father and I noted—to our collective Catholic shame—was the caveat Dr. Reed used whenever he referred to Catholics in conjunction with Evangelicals. He was not free to combine the two faiths without adding the modifier, ‘faithful’ or ‘pro-life’ before the noun Catholics. Why? Well that should be obvious to anyone who realizes that Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden call themselves ‘Catholics’ and do not fit in the same category as Catholics such as Amy Coney Barrett, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò or Father James Altman, three prominent individuals today who are extremely faithful, pro-life and intentional in living all that the Catholic Church professes, holds and teaches. There are Catholics in name only* and there are genuine Catholics and it makes all the difference in the world which is which.
Dr. Reed does an excellent job explaining why the Evangelicals and pro-life (or faithful) Catholics endorsed and voted for President Trump in the 2016 election and why they may be confident to do so again in 2020. Most of the reasons are the same, although a few have changed as the President has an excellent record of having kept his 2016 campaign promises which can be read here.
A helpful book for those interested in the Evangelical (and to a lesser extent, broader Christian and faithful Catholic) perspective for 2016 and 2020 perspectives on Donald Trump.
Recommended.
*When I was growing up and even until quite recently, Catholics (among ourselves) spoke of ‘practicing’ and ‘non-practicing’ Catholics. Practicing Catholics being those who were at least trying to live by the tenants of our faith. We did not presume to call ourselves ‘faithful’ most probably because we focused on all times we were not. Reading Dr. Reed’s book has been an eye-opener for me, if not for the political world, then for how others perceive us. Believe me, few things are more frustrating to ‘practicing’ or ‘faithful’ or ‘pro-life’ Catholics than those who call themselves Catholic but then do not even attempt to follow what the Church teaches.
That said, Mr. Trump’s adoring fans and those who deeply dislike the man will probably be equally disappointed with this review, because I’m not going to discuss this extremely controversial figure except as he is written about herein.
The author, Dr. Reed, is an Evangelical Protestant, the chairman and CEO if Century Strategies, a public relations and public affairs firm. He has worked on eleven presidential campaigns, founded and serves as the chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a pro-family public policy organization with 2.2 million members and activists. He is the author or editor of seven bestselling books and has had columns in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and National Review. He has a Ph.D. in history from Emory University. He’s married with children and grandchildren. To me as a reader, the most important things about him as an author are the first thing listed and the last: his Christianity and family. However, his insider status in the political world are what qualify him to write this book.
I am not only unqualified to adequately review this book, I’m sure I didn’t appreciate it as much as someone more attuned to politics. Dr. Reed seems to know everyone who is everyone and he stays on top of what is happening in the political realm. He must; it’s his profession. The up and downside of that is, he assumes his readers do as well, a troublesome assumption for such as this reader. In, For God and Country, he covers a lot of ground, going all the way back to when he first talked to Mr. Trump, which was before the 2012 campaigns all the way through the beginning of 2020. Some of what he covered, I remembered. There was also much which was new, yet all was thoroughly footnoted and the least little bit of spot-checking showed he was on top of things. His own credentials, his entire professional career being at stake, it would make no sense for him to fabricate anything here to make a point. His chapter on Brett Kavanaugh, a period I followed very closely, was 100% accurate, yet still made for fascinating reading.
So, while I never doubted what Dr. Reed wrote, I as booklady-ordinary-citizen did have trouble following some parts of the book, especially in the beginning when he seemed to go from present to past (for examples) and back to the present again. Also, I was at a disadvantage not knowing all the myriad of ‘players’, their positions, responsibilities, histories, etc., and where they fitted into the larger political picture. I knew many, but many were also new to me.
One interesting observation which both my father and I noted—to our collective Catholic shame—was the caveat Dr. Reed used whenever he referred to Catholics in conjunction with Evangelicals. He was not free to combine the two faiths without adding the modifier, ‘faithful’ or ‘pro-life’ before the noun Catholics. Why? Well that should be obvious to anyone who realizes that Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden call themselves ‘Catholics’ and do not fit in the same category as Catholics such as Amy Coney Barrett, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò or Father James Altman, three prominent individuals today who are extremely faithful, pro-life and intentional in living all that the Catholic Church professes, holds and teaches. There are Catholics in name only* and there are genuine Catholics and it makes all the difference in the world which is which.
Dr. Reed does an excellent job explaining why the Evangelicals and pro-life (or faithful) Catholics endorsed and voted for President Trump in the 2016 election and why they may be confident to do so again in 2020. Most of the reasons are the same, although a few have changed as the President has an excellent record of having kept his 2016 campaign promises which can be read here.
A helpful book for those interested in the Evangelical (and to a lesser extent, broader Christian and faithful Catholic) perspective for 2016 and 2020 perspectives on Donald Trump.
Recommended.
*When I was growing up and even until quite recently, Catholics (among ourselves) spoke of ‘practicing’ and ‘non-practicing’ Catholics. Practicing Catholics being those who were at least trying to live by the tenants of our faith. We did not presume to call ourselves ‘faithful’ most probably because we focused on all times we were not. Reading Dr. Reed’s book has been an eye-opener for me, if not for the political world, then for how others perceive us. Believe me, few things are more frustrating to ‘practicing’ or ‘faithful’ or ‘pro-life’ Catholics than those who call themselves Catholic but then do not even attempt to follow what the Church teaches.
August 24, 2020
There are plenty of liberals who despise Ralph Reed and President Trump. That makes sense. Both are very successful at what they do. In this book, Reed makes the case for reelecting a flawed man who has made numerous actions in his past that do not reflect Christian teaching. Reed rightly explains there have been plenty of flawed men throughout history who come through in times of crisis.
I hear, "President Trump has done nothing for (black, middle-class, Jewish, Christian, his base, working-class) people" all the time. The book includes a handy appendix which is quite specific in what President Trump has accomplished.
Hurry and read this book before Nov. 3!
I hear, "President Trump has done nothing for (black, middle-class, Jewish, Christian, his base, working-class) people" all the time. The book includes a handy appendix which is quite specific in what President Trump has accomplished.
Hurry and read this book before Nov. 3!
October 16, 2020
Ralph Reed heads the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a pro-family public policy organization. His book, For God and Country, is subtitled “The Christian Case for Trump.” Obviously it is very pro Trump. It is well documented with over twenty pages of source notes. The book contains sixteen chapters and one appendix. “Promises Made, Promises Kept” is the appendix, and it is quite revealing to see all of the things Trump has done as President with respect to his campaign promises.
The book starts out with Mr. Reed’s first direct contact with Donald Trump back in 2011 and moves on from there. The first few chapters deal with the time period from 2011 up to 2015; after that there are some chapters on the election in 2016 and then the issues Trump faced after the election, things like the Russia hoax, impeachment trials, fake news, liberal hypocrisy, and more. Lots of details and information are supplied in the book. One gets a different picture of Donald Trump from what the major media constantly portrays.
Reed's position is that while Donald Trump is a flawed man, who isn't? Reed points out that Franklin Graham in some remarks at an Evangelical event gave a Bible lesson on the flaws of great leaders in Scripture and reminded the audience that all people sin, and no perfect man has ever existed "except our Lord Jesus Christ, and He's not running for president this year."
I am going to cite just two items of interest that were new to me. The Russians spent $46,000 total on Facebook ads in the 2016 campaign and this bought them less than .004% of the 23,000 stories on Facebook's news feeds. The presidential elections costs were $2.4 billion, so the Russian ads accounted for almost nothing and likely had little to no effect since they weren’t even targeted. The second item is from a letter to Nancy Pelosi dated January 18, 2019, in which President Trump stated, “I believe it is the most basic duty of government to guard the innocent. With that in mind, I will veto any legislation that weakens current pro-life Federal policies and laws, or that encourages the destruction of innocent human life at any age.”
I liked this book, and it was a timely read. It was helpful in understanding who President Trump really is, and as stated before, it is heavily documented, so it is not fake news.
The book starts out with Mr. Reed’s first direct contact with Donald Trump back in 2011 and moves on from there. The first few chapters deal with the time period from 2011 up to 2015; after that there are some chapters on the election in 2016 and then the issues Trump faced after the election, things like the Russia hoax, impeachment trials, fake news, liberal hypocrisy, and more. Lots of details and information are supplied in the book. One gets a different picture of Donald Trump from what the major media constantly portrays.
Reed's position is that while Donald Trump is a flawed man, who isn't? Reed points out that Franklin Graham in some remarks at an Evangelical event gave a Bible lesson on the flaws of great leaders in Scripture and reminded the audience that all people sin, and no perfect man has ever existed "except our Lord Jesus Christ, and He's not running for president this year."
I am going to cite just two items of interest that were new to me. The Russians spent $46,000 total on Facebook ads in the 2016 campaign and this bought them less than .004% of the 23,000 stories on Facebook's news feeds. The presidential elections costs were $2.4 billion, so the Russian ads accounted for almost nothing and likely had little to no effect since they weren’t even targeted. The second item is from a letter to Nancy Pelosi dated January 18, 2019, in which President Trump stated, “I believe it is the most basic duty of government to guard the innocent. With that in mind, I will veto any legislation that weakens current pro-life Federal policies and laws, or that encourages the destruction of innocent human life at any age.”
I liked this book, and it was a timely read. It was helpful in understanding who President Trump really is, and as stated before, it is heavily documented, so it is not fake news.
May 6, 2023
REED GOES ‘ALL IN,’ SUPPORTING TRUMP UNCONDITIONALLY IN 2020
Author Ralph Reed wrote in the first chapter of this 2020 book, “attacks on Christians reveal a troubling ignorance about the civic aspirations of people of faith and a profound misunderstanding about the proper role of faith in God in a pluralistic society… these attacks suggest that Christians should support only candidates without past sins who subscribe to (and live up to) our religious and moral precepts, but we are precluded from voting for a candidate who has made mistakes and has come up short in his life but now advances policies that protect life, defend the First Amendment right to freedom of religion, strengthen the family, and support Israel. This argument removes the heart of the Gospel message … the grace and forgiveness available to us all through faith in Christ.” (Pg. 9)
He continues, “many of these media elites were cheerleaders and defenders of Bill Clinton, which makes their attacks on Trump (and the Christians who support him) ring hollow… their true goal is to defeat Trump in 2020 by demoralizing Christian voters, and the reason is because they oppose the pro-life, pro-family, pro-Israel policies of his administration, not to mention the hundreds of conservative judges he has appointed… Had Evangelical Christians followed the deceptive advice of the media elites (and sadly, some Christian and conservative Never Trumpers), they would have helped put a woman in the presidency who, when asked … whether she opposed late-term abortion when the unborn child could survive outside the womb, blithely dismissed any objection to what can only be described as infanticide…. If Evangelical voters has … allowed Hilary Clinton to prevail in 2016, it would have been open season on Christian ministries, leaders, colleges, and churches---and even Christian-owned businesses…” (Pg. 9-11)
He continues, “The issue isn’t whether we should seek a secular savor like Donald Trump or Ronald Reagan in his time; it is whether we should defend our rights under the Constitution as Americans. If we take seriously our rights as citizens… and if we believe those rights come from God (as they surely do), then we are obligated to defend them with all our might and to support candidates who will also defend them.” (Pg. 14) He goes on, “The argument for civic withdrawal or refusing to vote for like-minded candidates is really a cop-out to keep from making difficult and imperfect decisions in a free society and fallen world. It seeks heavenly perfection and is of little earthly good, leading to the advance of evil by abandoning the field of battle.” (Pg. 15)
He adds, “No one is arguing that Donald Trump is a perfect man, because we are all imperfect, or that he is without sin, because we are all sinners and all fall short of God’s glory. But as president, Trump has led with great moral clarity as he has protected the right of Christians to express their faith… used the bully pulpit and the power of his office to protect the unborn… In so doing, he has kept his campaign promises… If keeping one’s word s central to one’s character---and it clearly is---then Donald Trump has shown he has far more character than his critics. Christians are not seeking a political savior in Donald Trump. But they are … supporting a leader who defends their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and religion...” (Pg. 16) He summarizes, “Evangelicals and pro-life Roman Catholics are fully justified in supporting Trump for president.” (Pg. 19)
He states, “Every president makes personnel mistakes, and Trump has made a few himself. But on the biggest decisions, like the vice presidency and the Supreme Court, Trump chose battle-tested champions with conservative principles… I was certain of one thing: there was… a heavenly hand guiding the affairs of state in what the media insisted multiple times daily was the chaos of the Trump White House.” (Pg. 27) Later, he adds, ‘For Christians who believe that God gave Israel to the Jews as their homeland… Trump was nothing less than an answer to prayer.” (Pg. 32)
He acknowledges, “Trump sometimes says (or tweets) things I wish he wouldn’t. But as much as I value speech seasoned with God’s grace… in the end I measure a man more by his actions than by the occasional rash or ill-advised word… I have learned to be suspicious of the smooth talker who never delivers.” (Pg. 36) Later, he recalls, “as a trained historian, I knew Trump was a phenomenon that came along once a generation if not once a century… I hoped his campaign could be used to advance the pro-life, pro-family issues agenda and build the faith-based grassroots of the country.” (Pg. 86)
He points out, “Trump had tapped into a profound sense of grievance and alienation among people of faith about the marginalization of their faith that had been brought about the liberal judges and a media that trafficked in anti-Christian bigotry. He checked every box on the issues: life, religious freedom, Israel, Iran, and judges. But Trump’s transcendent and effervescent appeal lay elsewhere---in his willingness to assert the central role of faith in the life of the nation after decades of assault by the legal culture, the media, and Hollywood.” (Pg. 95)
Of Trump’s infamous ‘Access Hollywood’ video, he comments, “I did not appreciate the things that Trump said about women … The Bible teaches that we are to treat younger women as sisters and older women as mothers… I pecked out a statement on the fly on my mobile phone and quickly forwarded it to the reporters who had contacted me. ‘…I was deeply disappointed by Donald Trump’s comments… But people of faith are voting on issues like who will protect unborn life, defend religious freedom, grow the economy, appoint conservative judges, and oppose the Iran nuclear deal…’ I contrasted Trump’s inappropriate comments with the criminal conduct of Hillary Clinton, which had been under active investigation by the FBI for most of the campaign… While I could not imagine … being happy with Trump’s comments, I thought it highly unlikely that Evangelicals … would … support Hillary because of them…” (Pg. 132-133)
He argues, “Of course, voters make judgments about the character, honesty, and moral fiber of candidates, as well. But, even here, people of faith must ask a simple question: Does the Gospel teach that someone who had have a personal moral failing is disqualified from every serving in a position of public trust?... [The media] seek to condemn anyone for their past shortcomings and sins if it serves their real purpose---namely defeating Trump…” (Pg. 153)
He states, “In both 2020 and beyond, we dare not and cannot sit on the sidelines… We are called to … forsake cynicism and negativity, participate fully, remain always cheerful and … address the hard moral choice that Providence presents us in our never-ending mission to advance good and resist evil.” (Pg. 174) But he adds, “This does not mean that Christians should be advocating for the ‘lesser of two evils,’ as the critics of Evangelicals accuse them of doing.” (Pg. 178)
Of Trump’s 2019 call to Ukrainian President Zelensky, he comments, ‘Reasonable people of good will may disagree about whether it was appropriate for President Trump to discuss these issues on a call with a foreign leader. But given the long history of corruption in Ukraine, they are both legitimate lines of inquiry, especially given the abuses of power … in the Russia hoax. The president’s raising them on the call hardly constituted a crime, much less an impeachable offense.” (Pg. 284)
He summarizes, “Will the faith community step up to the plate and defend its principles as enthusiastically as the Left and the Democrats plan to do in 2020? I hope and pray the answer to that question is a resounding ‘Yes!’ Never has there been more at stake. Never have I seen the opposition so vicious and virulent, hurling the worst kind of smears imaginable… we have a duel and mutually reinforcing responsibility … as Christians … to advance the good and resist evil and injustice with all of our civic rights. The 2020 election will determine how serious we are about exercising them.” (Pg. 301-302)
This book (and other books of Reed’s) will appeal to some conservative Christians.
Author Ralph Reed wrote in the first chapter of this 2020 book, “attacks on Christians reveal a troubling ignorance about the civic aspirations of people of faith and a profound misunderstanding about the proper role of faith in God in a pluralistic society… these attacks suggest that Christians should support only candidates without past sins who subscribe to (and live up to) our religious and moral precepts, but we are precluded from voting for a candidate who has made mistakes and has come up short in his life but now advances policies that protect life, defend the First Amendment right to freedom of religion, strengthen the family, and support Israel. This argument removes the heart of the Gospel message … the grace and forgiveness available to us all through faith in Christ.” (Pg. 9)
He continues, “many of these media elites were cheerleaders and defenders of Bill Clinton, which makes their attacks on Trump (and the Christians who support him) ring hollow… their true goal is to defeat Trump in 2020 by demoralizing Christian voters, and the reason is because they oppose the pro-life, pro-family, pro-Israel policies of his administration, not to mention the hundreds of conservative judges he has appointed… Had Evangelical Christians followed the deceptive advice of the media elites (and sadly, some Christian and conservative Never Trumpers), they would have helped put a woman in the presidency who, when asked … whether she opposed late-term abortion when the unborn child could survive outside the womb, blithely dismissed any objection to what can only be described as infanticide…. If Evangelical voters has … allowed Hilary Clinton to prevail in 2016, it would have been open season on Christian ministries, leaders, colleges, and churches---and even Christian-owned businesses…” (Pg. 9-11)
He continues, “The issue isn’t whether we should seek a secular savor like Donald Trump or Ronald Reagan in his time; it is whether we should defend our rights under the Constitution as Americans. If we take seriously our rights as citizens… and if we believe those rights come from God (as they surely do), then we are obligated to defend them with all our might and to support candidates who will also defend them.” (Pg. 14) He goes on, “The argument for civic withdrawal or refusing to vote for like-minded candidates is really a cop-out to keep from making difficult and imperfect decisions in a free society and fallen world. It seeks heavenly perfection and is of little earthly good, leading to the advance of evil by abandoning the field of battle.” (Pg. 15)
He adds, “No one is arguing that Donald Trump is a perfect man, because we are all imperfect, or that he is without sin, because we are all sinners and all fall short of God’s glory. But as president, Trump has led with great moral clarity as he has protected the right of Christians to express their faith… used the bully pulpit and the power of his office to protect the unborn… In so doing, he has kept his campaign promises… If keeping one’s word s central to one’s character---and it clearly is---then Donald Trump has shown he has far more character than his critics. Christians are not seeking a political savior in Donald Trump. But they are … supporting a leader who defends their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and religion...” (Pg. 16) He summarizes, “Evangelicals and pro-life Roman Catholics are fully justified in supporting Trump for president.” (Pg. 19)
He states, “Every president makes personnel mistakes, and Trump has made a few himself. But on the biggest decisions, like the vice presidency and the Supreme Court, Trump chose battle-tested champions with conservative principles… I was certain of one thing: there was… a heavenly hand guiding the affairs of state in what the media insisted multiple times daily was the chaos of the Trump White House.” (Pg. 27) Later, he adds, ‘For Christians who believe that God gave Israel to the Jews as their homeland… Trump was nothing less than an answer to prayer.” (Pg. 32)
He acknowledges, “Trump sometimes says (or tweets) things I wish he wouldn’t. But as much as I value speech seasoned with God’s grace… in the end I measure a man more by his actions than by the occasional rash or ill-advised word… I have learned to be suspicious of the smooth talker who never delivers.” (Pg. 36) Later, he recalls, “as a trained historian, I knew Trump was a phenomenon that came along once a generation if not once a century… I hoped his campaign could be used to advance the pro-life, pro-family issues agenda and build the faith-based grassroots of the country.” (Pg. 86)
He points out, “Trump had tapped into a profound sense of grievance and alienation among people of faith about the marginalization of their faith that had been brought about the liberal judges and a media that trafficked in anti-Christian bigotry. He checked every box on the issues: life, religious freedom, Israel, Iran, and judges. But Trump’s transcendent and effervescent appeal lay elsewhere---in his willingness to assert the central role of faith in the life of the nation after decades of assault by the legal culture, the media, and Hollywood.” (Pg. 95)
Of Trump’s infamous ‘Access Hollywood’ video, he comments, “I did not appreciate the things that Trump said about women … The Bible teaches that we are to treat younger women as sisters and older women as mothers… I pecked out a statement on the fly on my mobile phone and quickly forwarded it to the reporters who had contacted me. ‘…I was deeply disappointed by Donald Trump’s comments… But people of faith are voting on issues like who will protect unborn life, defend religious freedom, grow the economy, appoint conservative judges, and oppose the Iran nuclear deal…’ I contrasted Trump’s inappropriate comments with the criminal conduct of Hillary Clinton, which had been under active investigation by the FBI for most of the campaign… While I could not imagine … being happy with Trump’s comments, I thought it highly unlikely that Evangelicals … would … support Hillary because of them…” (Pg. 132-133)
He argues, “Of course, voters make judgments about the character, honesty, and moral fiber of candidates, as well. But, even here, people of faith must ask a simple question: Does the Gospel teach that someone who had have a personal moral failing is disqualified from every serving in a position of public trust?... [The media] seek to condemn anyone for their past shortcomings and sins if it serves their real purpose---namely defeating Trump…” (Pg. 153)
He states, “In both 2020 and beyond, we dare not and cannot sit on the sidelines… We are called to … forsake cynicism and negativity, participate fully, remain always cheerful and … address the hard moral choice that Providence presents us in our never-ending mission to advance good and resist evil.” (Pg. 174) But he adds, “This does not mean that Christians should be advocating for the ‘lesser of two evils,’ as the critics of Evangelicals accuse them of doing.” (Pg. 178)
Of Trump’s 2019 call to Ukrainian President Zelensky, he comments, ‘Reasonable people of good will may disagree about whether it was appropriate for President Trump to discuss these issues on a call with a foreign leader. But given the long history of corruption in Ukraine, they are both legitimate lines of inquiry, especially given the abuses of power … in the Russia hoax. The president’s raising them on the call hardly constituted a crime, much less an impeachable offense.” (Pg. 284)
He summarizes, “Will the faith community step up to the plate and defend its principles as enthusiastically as the Left and the Democrats plan to do in 2020? I hope and pray the answer to that question is a resounding ‘Yes!’ Never has there been more at stake. Never have I seen the opposition so vicious and virulent, hurling the worst kind of smears imaginable… we have a duel and mutually reinforcing responsibility … as Christians … to advance the good and resist evil and injustice with all of our civic rights. The 2020 election will determine how serious we are about exercising them.” (Pg. 301-302)
This book (and other books of Reed’s) will appeal to some conservative Christians.
September 11, 2020
Very interesting perspective from a person who has a view from outside AND inside relationships with President Trump, the people around him and the events that have taken place over a couple of years before he was president and after. Having met Ralph Reed, I was delighted to learn just how much he cares for the spiritual health of this nation and how our President does as well.
December 22, 2020
I knew there was dirty dealing in Washington, but didn't think the dems would stoop so low. If you like Trump, your blood will boil. If you dislike Trump, even you'll be surprised. This highlights the players and their plays and how Trump became President. Truly eye opening.
November 13, 2021
I have never been a fan of Donald Trump, but after reading this book I can understand why Christians could believe this man was their savior. From Mr. Reed's assessment I believe that Christians related Hillary to the Devil and anyone would be better than her. (Which I believed also) It really did not matter who ran against Hillary the Christians would vote for them. She stood for everything they were against. Donald also offered a difference to the normal Republicans who always promised this or that but usually never came thru. They took a chance that he would follow thru on his promises which he did for the most part. I believe you cannot change a man who spent all his life as a egotistical con man. He brought on a true Christian as his Vice President who most likely led the way in all the endeavors that were close the Christians hearts. It is hard to believe that a man who can hardly read a comic book could lead the way in a lot of the His administrations accomplishments. I agree completely with Reeds assessment of the Democrats who attacked Trump in every thing he did. WE NEED TERM LIMITS TO GET RID OF THE PELOSI'S AND MCCONELLS IN CONGRESS.
This is a great read for someone who likes Trump and his policies since there are not a lot of books that do.
This is a great read for someone who likes Trump and his policies since there are not a lot of books that do.
November 30, 2020
I highly recommend this book to all Americans, especially those who hate President Trump. No matter what you think of him, his achievements as president in just 3 1/2 years are incredible. The book includes 25 pages (lists) of “promises made, promises kept” by this President. The author, Ralph Reed, also provides extensive notes so that any doubter can check out the accuracy of all that he has written here.
September 28, 2025
Interesting book. I was reading it after the 2024 election but it had a lot of insightful information in it.
Reed wrote in such a way that as the reader, you actually saw things from Pres. Trump’s perspective!
Reed wrote in such a way that as the reader, you actually saw things from Pres. Trump’s perspective!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews