What to Make of Donald Trump’s Soul

It has been customary to give a new president 100 days before evaluating his administration. With President Donald Trump, many could not wait even 100 hours—and for good reason. Trump and his team tripped out of the starting block and fell flat on their collective faces. The President’s executive order temporarily suspending refugee resettlement and banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries was an administrative and legal disaster. His every cabinet pick has faced fierce opposition. And amid reports of a White House staff in chaos, the President has only amplified his critique of the press.

Before and after the election, CT has also weighed in on our political or moral concerns about Trump. He has promoted policies and appointed people who work against matters we have editorialized on—his callousness toward refugees and his seeming indifference to the environment are two examples. And while evangelicals may disagree about the President’s policies on such matters, few would argue that Trump is a moral exemplar. Both the Left and the Right have noted vices and ethical problems, from utter self-centeredness to cruel remarks to blatant conflicts of interest, and more.

One dimension that has been mostly neglected, though, especially among Christians, is a matter of some consequence. To understand its gravity, we must begin with the most positive of theological statements: Trump is a man whom God loves. He is a sinner for whom Christ died. Despite his evident moral failings, Trump nonetheless has been created in the image of God. He may be a political and moral enemy for many of our readers, but that is all the more reason we are called to love him and pray for him (Matt. 5:44).