Donald Trump touched on his thoughts about Jesus Christ Wednesday by saying Jesus is “somebody I can totally rely on,” particularly for “security and confidence” as he enters the general election phase of the race.
Trump also told Cal Thomas in an interview posted Wednesday that he doesn’t plan on asking for forgiveness from God too much going forward, even though he does plan on asking for it on occasion.
“Every president has called upon God at some point. Lincoln spoke of not being able to hold the office of the presidency without spending time on his knees,” Thomas told Trump. “You have said you never felt the need to ask for God’s forgiveness, and yet repentance for one’s sins is a precondition to salvation. I ask you the question Jesus asked of Peter: Who do you say He is?”
“I will be asking for forgiveness, but hopefully I won’t have to be asking for much forgiveness,” Trump said, before talking up his relationships with clergymen and evangelicals more broadly. “I’m going to treat my religion, which is Christian, with great respect and care.”
Thomas then repeated his initial question, asking “who do you say Jesus is?” The question stems from the Gospel.
“Jesus to me is somebody I can think about for security and confidence,” Trump said. “Somebody I can revere in terms of bravery and in terms of courage and, because I consider the Christian religion so important, somebody I can totally rely on in my own mind.”
In the past, despite touting his support from evangelicals, Trump has also said that he doesn’t feel the need to seek forgiveness. He made the initial comments back in July in Iowa at the same event where he question whether or not Sen. John McCain was a war hero.
“I am not sure I have [sought forgiveness]. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don’t think so,” he said at the time. “I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture. I don’t.”
