Evangelicals Declare Trump A Friend Of The Jews

President Trump receives the Friends of Zion award, December 11, 2017 Image by white house

By Nathan Guttman December 12, 2017

Continuing his victory lap after recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, President Trump hosted a group of Christian evangelical leaders in the Oval Office, to receive the “Friends of Zion” award.

“We believe no American president in history has done more to defend the Jewish people in the United Nations,” Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Museum, said of Trump. The Friends of Zion Museum, located in Jerusalem, was established by evangelical groups and highlights the contribution of Christians to Israel and the Jewish people. The award has been given in the past to President George W. Bush, Prince Albert of Monaco, and former Bulgarian president Roman Plevneliev.

Speaking outside the White House after the award ceremony, which was closed to the press, members of the organization praised Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and begin work to move the U.S. embassy to the city. “He is an anomaly because he keeps his promises,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. “Evangelicals, conservatives across this country are grateful for the fact that he has actually done exactly what he campaigned on.”

Contact Nathan Guttman at guttman@forward.com or on Twitter @nathanguttman

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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