Favorability of Trump
White evangelical Protestant attitudes about Donald Trump have moved through three distinct phases since PRRI has been tracking them beginning in 2015:
- Before Trump became the official Republican nominee for president in mid-2016, Trump’s favorability never reached the majority among white evangelical Protestants.
- Between Trump’s nomination and the inauguration, Trump’s favorability among white evangelical Protestants advanced past the 60-percent mark.
- By the time of his inauguration in early 2017, Trump’s favorability among white evangelical Protestants jumped to nearly three quarters (74%). While Trump has struggled to lift his favorability numbers among the general population above the low-40-percent range, throughout his presidency, favorability of Trump among white evangelicals has remained exceptionally high, between 65% and 77% with an average favorability rating of 71%.
Other Attitudes about Trump
Other findings from PRRI’s 2019 American Values Survey also demonstrate the unwavering support among white evangelical Protestants for Trump.
Job Performance:
- An overwhelming majority (77%) of white evangelical Protestants, compared to 39% of all Americans, approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as president. Half (50%) of white evangelical Protestants strongly approve of his job performance.
- Among white evangelical Protestants who approve of his job performance, 40% say there is almost nothing Trump could do to lose their support. One-third (33%) of all Americans who approve of Trump’s job performance say the same.
Opposition to Trump being impeached and removed from office:
- More than 8 in 10 (82%) of white evangelical Protestants, compared to 47% of all Americans, oppose President Trump being impeached and removed from office as of mid-October 2019. Nearly all (98%) white evangelical Protestants who identify as Republicans oppose impeachment and removal.
Speech and Behavior:
- Nearly two thirds (63%) of white evangelical Protestants, compared to 35% of all Americans, disagree that Trump has damaged the dignity of the presidency.
- Only 36% of white evangelical Protestants, compared to 62% of all Americans, say Trump’s personal conduct makes them less likely to support him.
- Less than half (46%) of white evangelical Protestants, compared to 73% of all Americans, say they wish Trump’s speech and behavior were more consistent with previous presidents.
- Support for Trump as the Republican Party 2020 nominee:
- More than eight in ten (82%) Republican and Republican-leaning white evangelical Protestants, compared to 72% of all Republicans and leaners, say they would prefer Trump over any other Republican candidate as the Republican Party nominee for president in 2020.
- Two-thirds (66%) of white evangelical Protestants say they will support Donald Trump no matter who the Democratic candidate is.