Editor of Christianity Today talks 'never' supporting Trump over sexual assault and slams Pence’s 'character'

14 May 2023

When it comes to political leadership, Russell Moore, the Editor in Chief of Christianity Today, is concerned about character.

According to Mediaite, during a Meet the Press interview with Chuck Todd Sunday, Moore discussed his thoughts around former President Donald Trump's recent sexual assault verdict and the lack of outrage from GOP leaders like former Vice President Mike Pence.

Just hours after a New York jury found Trump guilty for sexually assaulting journalist E. Jean Carroll, Pence said in an NBC interview, "I would tell you, in my 4½ years serving alongside the president, I never heard or witnessed behavior of that nature."

During Todd and Moore's conversation, the MSNBC host asked, "You know, even former Vice President Pence was kind of dismissive of the defamation verdict with E. Jean Carroll against the former president, you know, saying, 'Well, I think this is something that the media cares more about.' That was a shocking reaction for me coming from the former vice president. Was it to you?"

He replied, "I'm not sure what’s going on in Vice President Pence's mind at this point. I know it was a shocking moment for me even after everything that we’ve seen. And what’s primarily shocking is the fact that here we are in a week where a former president of the United States is found liable for sexual abuse and sexual assault and defamation of a woman who survived such abuse and assault. And the country just yawns for the most part."

The editor continued, "That tells me that something has really, really badly gone awry in this country. And you add to it the demeanor and the content of President Trump’s deposition to simply shrug off and defend the Access Hollywood comments. In 2015, I said that President Trump, or Donald Trump at the time, had the attitude toward women of a Bronze Age war lord. In that deposition, he said, 'Yes, as a matter of fact,' predated it back to millions of years ago, and said, 'Unfortunately or fortunately, that's the way that it is.' Well, think about the teenage girl in a church somewhere who's being abused by her youth pastor wondering whether to come forward. And she hears not only that, but when the victim is ridiculed by a presidential candidate in front of a crowd, the response is laughter. That has devastating implications."

The host later asked Moore, "What would you like to see from other candidates? I mean, it seems that they very much don’t want to make a character case against the former president."

He replied, "Well, I think someone needs to step forward and talk about the importance of character and talk about the importance of having someone who can be trusted to have the nuclear codes. I mean, we really need someone to step forward and say, 'Let's remember what’s at stake here.' We're not just choosing what kind of entertainment we're going to have for the next six years. We're talking about the direction of the country. And we're talking about what our children are seeing and potentially will replicate."

Moore then said, "If you have an entire generation who only grow up seeing this, what's going to happen? We need somebody who will make that case and say it. And right now, among candidates, among elected officials, sometimes even among church officials, there’s fear. No one wants to speak to this because they're afraid of what will happen to them. The stakes are too high."

To conclude, Todd said, "Last question. Is there any circumstance you could imagine supporting Donald Trump?"

The editor said, "Well, I can't speak for all evangelicals. I can only speak for myself. And Jesus said, 'Let your yes be yes and your no be no.' I'll let my never, never."

Watch the video below or at this link.

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