Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump decried persecution of Christians at the hands of the Biden administration and vowed that "no one will be touching the cross of Christ under" a second Trump administration.
Trump made the comments Thursday during a speech at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
"For all Americans, but especially for Christians, nothing is more important than to defeat this wicked system and to return to equal and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law," Trump told the crowd of more than 2,500 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.
"Never again will the federal government be used to target you, religious believers," Trump said, then referencing six pro-life activists who were sentenced to 11 years in prison for protesting outside of a Tennessee abortion facility in March 2021.
They were found guilty of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and conspiracy against rights — "outrageous charges," Trump said.
"The same DOJ that dropped charges against Antifa, where they killed people, where they destroyed cities … the same Biden DOJ has rounded up six pro-life activists right here in Tennessee, arresting them for a peaceful protest outside a clinic, where they prayed, sang hymns, and were removed with great force," Trump said. "These are persecuted Christians. They are being persecuted by Joe Biden and his people."
"No one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration, I swear to you," he added. "I will never allow the big media or left-wing pressure groups to silence you."
Trump spoke for 75 minutes at the event, which invited "all eligible candidates from both parties" to speak. Trump's GOP challenger Nikki Haley declined the invitation and President Joe Biden didn't respond, according to NTD.com.
Trump warned that Christians "cannot afford to sit on the sidelines in this fight."
"The corrupt persecution by this regime will not stop with me," he said. "The chains are already tightening around all of us.
"Ultimately, the radical left is coming after all of us because they know that our allegiance is not to them. Our allegiance is to our country. And our allegiance is to our creator. They don't want to hear that," he said.
Trump's speech came two days before his keynote address at CPAC outside of Washington, D.C.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.