Pastors stand firm as Trump's U.S. evangelical base weakensWASHINGTON (Reuters) - As President Donald Trump bowed his head in the Oval Office earlier this month, Texas Southern Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress and other U.S. religious leaders laid their hands on Trump’s back and prayed for Hurricane Harvey’s victims. With TV cameras and reporters watching, the scene was a powerful reminder of one of Trump’s most reliable and improbable political assets - his close ties with conservative Christians. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows, however, that Trump’s popularity among white evangelicals has weakened, suggesting his grassroots support may not be as unconditional as religious leaders’ public displays of allegiance would suggest.  That may pose a problem for Trump and his allies as the 2018 midterm congressional election season nears. Trump’s strong links to conservative Christians played a key part in his stunning victory in the 2016 presidential election. Though disenchanted evangelicals were unlikely to switch their votes to Democrats, they could stay home next year when U.S. voters elect senators and representatives.    “When your base is starting to even slowly move away from you, that should be a sign of concern,” said Justin Vaughn, director of the Center for Idaho History and Politics at Boise State University in Idaho, a state Trump won handily last year. In a country that is more religious than most other western democracies and where a president’s spiritual life is closely examined, the twice-divorced New York billionaire socialite, who has attended church just twice since his Jan. 20 inauguration, is an unlikely torchbearer for conservative Christians.  He has labored to build and preserve this unlikely alliance, embracing social issues, such as commitment to anti-abortion and religious liberty policies, and picking staunch conservative Neil Gorsuch, for the Supreme Court. Trump also mentions God far more often in public remarks than his two predecessors, a Reuters review showed.(Graphic: tmsnrt.rs/2y3HxbV) But data from the nationwide online Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from Jan. 22 to Aug. 25 suggest Trump has been unable to prevent his evangelical support from sliding in line with his overall ratings. The majority of those polled last month who described themselves as both “white” and a “born-again or evangelical Christian” said they approved of Trump, but considerably fewer than when he took office almost eight months ago. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the poll. During a four-week period in August, 62 percent of white evangelicals said they approved of Trump, while 33 percent disapproved of the president and 5 percent said they had “mixed feelings.” That is a drop from the first four weeks of Trump’s presidency, from late January to mid February, when 73 percent of white evangelicals said they approved of his performance while 23 percent disapproved and 5 percent had mixed feelings. The poll was divided into eight four-week periods, with each including about 2,000 people and a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of about 2 percentage points.    The declines are broadly in line with those recorded among all adult Americans. In interviews, 10 of the surveyed conservative Christians said they were not concerned about Trump’s religion. Rather, they questioned whether he was doing enough to help average Americans and the frequent chaos in the White House. “We can’t go a week without someone leaving his administration. There is no stability in our government,” said  Robert Waldram, a 52-year-old Baptist churchgoer from Williamsburg, Virginia, in a telephone interview. He said he voted for Trump as a better option than Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. But Waldram said he was tired of Trump’s “childlike tantrums on Twitter.” In his first 200 days in office, Trump mentioned God about 100 times in public remarks, excluding the standard “God bless America” that presidents routinely end speeches with, something his ardent supporters welcome as readiness to eschew political correctness.  By this point in their presidencies, Democrat Barack Obama had mentioned God 43 times, while Republican George W. Bush had referred to God in 60 instances. Jeffress, one of the first prominent evangelical pastors to back Trump for president, said his God talk was apolitical. “I understand that cynical people would say this is just for political expediency, but ... I believe this comes out of some deep beliefs that he has personally,” Jeffress said. Trump, who describes himself as Presbyterian, was not known to be an avid churchgoer before becoming president and critics have said his blunders on basic biblical knowledge, harsh attacks on political adversaries, and his demeaning comments about women clash with Christian principles. “He, himself, doesn’t have the most sterling track record in terms of either church attendance or professed or displayed knowledge of scripture,” Gary Scott Smith, a historian and author of “Religion in the Oval Office: The Religious Lives of American Presidents,” said of Trump. The pastors involved with Trump’s evangelical advisory board describe him, though, as very inquisitive about faith and more thoughtful on religion than he might appear in public and conservative pastors have continued to support him through various firestorms.  Evangelicals have had “unprecedented” White House access in this administration, said Richard Land, a board member and president of the Southern Evangelical Seminary, a Christian college. After Trump’s response to violence between white nationalists and left-wing protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, led to two of his business advisory councils disbanding, there were questions about the evangelical board’s future.  Brooklyn, New York, megachurch pastor A.R. Bernard resigned, but others remained, saying it was their job to provide advice and counsel to Trump, even when they disagree with him, and to press the president on Christian issues. Johnnie Moore, a board member and former official at Liberty University, a religious school, said: “We have a deep personal relationship with him ... He has prioritized issues that are important to us and we appreciate that.” politicsNews
pastors stand firm trump evangelical base weakenswashington reuters as president donald trump bowed head oval office earlier month texas southern baptist pastor robert jeffrey religious leaders laid hands trump back prayed hurricane harvey victims with tv cameras reporters watching scene powerful reminder one trump reliable improbable political assets close ties conservative christians a new poll shows however trump popularity among white evangelicals weakened suggesting grassroots support may unconditional religious leaders public displays allegiance would suggest that may pose problem trump allies midterm congressional election season nears trump strong links conservative christians played key part stunning victory presidential election though disenchanted evangelicals unlikely switch votes democrats could stay home next year voters elect senators representatives when base starting even slowly move away sign concern said justin taught director center idaho history politics noise state university idaho state trump handily last year in country religious western democracies president spiritual life closely examined new york billionaire socialite attended church twice since inauguration unlikely torchbearer conservative christians he laborer build preserve unlikely alliance embracing social issues commitment religious liberty policies picking staunch conservative neil gorsuch supreme court trump also mentions god far often public remarks two predecessors reuters review showed graphic but data nationwide online poll conducted suggest trump unable prevent evangelical support sliding line overall ratings the majority polled last month described white evangelical christian said approved trump considerably fewer took office almost eight months ago the white house respond requests comment poll during period august percent white evangelicals said approved trump percent disapproved president percent said mixed that drop first four weeks trump presidency late january mid february percent white evangelicals said approved performance percent disapproved percent mixed feelings the poll divided eight periods including people credibility interval measure accuracy percentage points the declines broadly line recorded among adult americans in interviews surveyed conservative christians said concerned trump religion rather questioned whether enough help average americans frequent chaos white house we go week without someone leaving administration there stability government said robert waldram baptist churchgoer williamsburg virginia telephone interview he said voted trump better option democratic presidential nominee hillary clinton but waldram said tired trump childlike tantrums in first days office trump mentioned god times public remarks excluding standard god bless america presidents routinely end speeches something ardent supporters welcome readiness screw political correctness by point residencies democrat barack obama mentioned god times republican george bush referred god instances jeffrey one first prominent evangelical pastors back trump president said god talk political i understand cynical people would say political experience i believe comes deep beliefs personally jeffrey said trump describes presbyterian known avid churchgoer becoming president critics said blunder basic biblical knowledge harsh attacks political adversaries demeaning comments women clash christian principles he sterling track record terms either church attendance professed displayed knowledge scripture gary scott smith historian author religion oval office the religious lives american presidents said trump the pastors involved trump evangelical advisory board describe though inquisitive faith thoughtful religion might appear public conservative pastors continued support various firestorms evangelicals unprecedented white house access administration said richard land board member president southern evangelical seminary christian college after trump response violence white nationalists protesters charlottesville virginia led two business advisory councils disbanding questions evangelical board future brooklyn new york megachurch pastor bernard resigned others remained saying job provide advice counsel trump even disagree press president christian issues johnny moore board member former official liberty university religious school said we deep personal relationship he prioritized issues important us appreciate politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Pastors stand firm as Trump's U.S. evangelical base weakensWASHINGTON (Reuters) - As President Donald Trump bowed his head in the Oval Office earlier this month, Texas Southern Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress and other U.S. religious leaders laid their hands on Trump’s back and prayed for Hurricane Harvey’s victims. With TV cameras and reporters watching, the scene was a powerful reminder of one of Trump’s most reliable and improbable political assets - his close ties with conservative Christians. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows, however, that Trump’s popularity among white evangelicals has weakened, suggesting his grassroots support may not be as unconditional as religious leaders’ public displays of allegiance would suggest.  That may pose a problem for Trump and his allies as the 2018 midterm congressional election season nears. Trump’s strong links to conservative Christians played a key part in his stunning victory in the 2016 presidential election. Though disenchanted evangelicals were unlikely to switch their votes to Democrats, they could stay home next year when U.S. voters elect senators and representatives.    “When your base is starting to even slowly move away from you, that should be a sign of concern,” said Justin Vaughn, director of the Center for Idaho History and Politics at Boise State University in Idaho, a state Trump won handily last year. In a country that is more religious than most other western democracies and where a president’s spiritual life is closely examined, the twice-divorced New York billionaire socialite, who has attended church just twice since his Jan. 20 inauguration, is an unlikely torchbearer for conservative Christians.  He has labored to build and preserve this unlikely alliance, embracing social issues, such as commitment to anti-abortion and religious liberty policies, and picking staunch conservative Neil Gorsuch, for the Supreme Court. Trump also mentions God far more often in public remarks than his two predecessors, a Reuters review showed.(Graphic: tmsnrt.rs/2y3HxbV) But data from the nationwide online Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from Jan. 22 to Aug. 25 suggest Trump has been unable to prevent his evangelical support from sliding in line with his overall ratings. The majority of those polled last month who described themselves as both “white” and a “born-again or evangelical Christian” said they approved of Trump, but considerably fewer than when he took office almost eight months ago. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the poll. During a four-week period in August, 62 percent of white evangelicals said they approved of Trump, while 33 percent disapproved of the president and 5 percent said they had “mixed feelings.” That is a drop from the first four weeks of Trump’s presidency, from late January to mid February, when 73 percent of white evangelicals said they approved of his performance while 23 percent disapproved and 5 percent had mixed feelings. The poll was divided into eight four-week periods, with each including about 2,000 people and a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of about 2 percentage points.    The declines are broadly in line with those recorded among all adult Americans. In interviews, 10 of the surveyed conservative Christians said they were not concerned about Trump’s religion. Rather, they questioned whether he was doing enough to help average Americans and the frequent chaos in the White House. “We can’t go a week without someone leaving his administration. There is no stability in our government,” said  Robert Waldram, a 52-year-old Baptist churchgoer from Williamsburg, Virginia, in a telephone interview. He said he voted for Trump as a better option than Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. But Waldram said he was tired of Trump’s “childlike tantrums on Twitter.” In his first 200 days in office, Trump mentioned God about 100 times in public remarks, excluding the standard “God bless America” that presidents routinely end speeches with, something his ardent supporters welcome as readiness to eschew political correctness.  By this point in their presidencies, Democrat Barack Obama had mentioned God 43 times, while Republican George W. Bush had referred to God in 60 instances. Jeffress, one of the first prominent evangelical pastors to back Trump for president, said his God talk was apolitical. “I understand that cynical people would say this is just for political expediency, but ... I believe this comes out of some deep beliefs that he has personally,” Jeffress said. Trump, who describes himself as Presbyterian, was not known to be an avid churchgoer before becoming president and critics have said his blunders on basic biblical knowledge, harsh attacks on political adversaries, and his demeaning comments about women clash with Christian principles. “He, himself, doesn’t have the most sterling track record in terms of either church attendance or professed or displayed knowledge of scripture,” Gary Scott Smith, a historian and author of “Religion in the Oval Office: The Religious Lives of American Presidents,” said of Trump. The pastors involved with Trump’s evangelical advisory board describe him, though, as very inquisitive about faith and more thoughtful on religion than he might appear in public and conservative pastors have continued to support him through various firestorms.  Evangelicals have had “unprecedented” White House access in this administration, said Richard Land, a board member and president of the Southern Evangelical Seminary, a Christian college. After Trump’s response to violence between white nationalists and left-wing protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, led to two of his business advisory councils disbanding, there were questions about the evangelical board’s future.  Brooklyn, New York, megachurch pastor A.R. Bernard resigned, but others remained, saying it was their job to provide advice and counsel to Trump, even when they disagree with him, and to press the president on Christian issues. Johnnie Moore, a board member and former official at Liberty University, a religious school, said: “We have a deep personal relationship with him ... He has prioritized issues that are important to us and we appreciate that.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: pastors stand firm trump evangelical base weakenswashington reuters as president donald trump bowed head oval office earlier month texas southern baptist pastor robert jeffrey religious leaders laid hands trump back prayed hurricane harvey victims with tv cameras reporters watching scene powerful reminder one trump reliable improbable political assets close ties conservative christians a new poll shows however trump popularity among white evangelicals weakened suggesting grassroots support may unconditional religious leaders public displays allegiance would suggest that may pose problem trump allies midterm congressional election season nears trump strong links conservative christians played key part stunning victory presidential election though disenchanted evangelicals unlikely switch votes democrats could stay home next year voters elect senators representatives when base starting even slowly move away sign concern said justin taught director center idaho history politics noise state university idaho state trump handily last year in country religious western democracies president spiritual life closely examined new york billionaire socialite attended church twice since inauguration unlikely torchbearer conservative christians he laborer build preserve unlikely alliance embracing social issues commitment religious liberty policies picking staunch conservative neil gorsuch supreme court trump also mentions god far often public remarks two predecessors reuters review showed graphic but data nationwide online poll conducted suggest trump unable prevent evangelical support sliding line overall ratings the majority polled last month described white evangelical christian said approved trump considerably fewer took office almost eight months ago the white house respond requests comment poll during period august percent white evangelicals said approved trump percent disapproved president percent said mixed that drop first four weeks trump presidency late january mid february percent white evangelicals said approved performance percent disapproved percent mixed feelings the poll divided eight periods including people credibility interval measure accuracy percentage points the declines broadly line recorded among adult americans in interviews surveyed conservative christians said concerned trump religion rather questioned whether enough help average americans frequent chaos white house we go week without someone leaving administration there stability government said robert waldram baptist churchgoer williamsburg virginia telephone interview he said voted trump better option democratic presidential nominee hillary clinton but waldram said tired trump childlike tantrums in first days office trump mentioned god times public remarks excluding standard god bless america presidents routinely end speeches something ardent supporters welcome readiness screw political correctness by point residencies democrat barack obama mentioned god times republican george bush referred god instances jeffrey one first prominent evangelical pastors back trump president said god talk political i understand cynical people would say political experience i believe comes deep beliefs personally jeffrey said trump describes presbyterian known avid churchgoer becoming president critics said blunder basic biblical knowledge harsh attacks political adversaries demeaning comments women clash christian principles he sterling track record terms either church attendance professed displayed knowledge scripture gary scott smith historian author religion oval office the religious lives american presidents said trump the pastors involved trump evangelical advisory board describe though inquisitive faith thoughtful religion might appear public conservative pastors continued support various firestorms evangelicals unprecedented white house access administration said richard land board member president southern evangelical seminary christian college after trump response violence white nationalists protesters charlottesville virginia led two business advisory councils disbanding questions evangelical board future brooklyn new york megachurch pastor bernard resigned others remained saying job provide advice counsel trump even disagree press president christian issues johnny moore board member former official liberty university religious school said we deep personal relationship he prioritized issues important us appreciate politicsnews