Three-quarters of white evangelical Protestants approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, according to a new analysis of Pew Research Center surveys conducted in February and April. This is nearly twice as high as the president’s approval rating with the general public (39%).

Trump’s support from evangelicals is strongest among those who attend church regularly. Eight-in-ten white evangelical Protestants who attend church at least once a month approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, including 67% who strongly approve of his job performance. White evangelical Protestants who attend church more sporadically approve of Trump’s job performance at a nearly comparable rate (71%), but they are significantly less likely than churchgoing evangelicals to strongly approve (54%). 

To be sure, most white evangelical Protestants have long been strongly supportive of Republicans. In the early days of the George W. Bush administration, fully 72% expressed approval of the way he was handling the responsibilities of being president, far exceeding Bush’s overall approval rating (54%). Surveys show, furthermore, that white evangelicals have grown even more likely to identify with the GOP in recent years.

Read more