Less than six weeks away from his second term in the White House, Donald J. Trump seems more focused and a bit less volatile than the first time around. That's according to a pastor who was one of Trump's spiritual advisors in his first term.
In January 2017, Donald Trump blew into Washington like the proverbial "bull in a china shop," intent on cleaning up the town and kicking the "Deep State" to the curb. But his every move was met with resistance from the political establishment entrenched in Congress … and – by his own admission – he was too new to Washington to know who to trust.
Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, says this time around Trump is ready.
"I think he is just as intent on fulfilling his agenda as he's ever been," Jeffress tells AFN. "But after the experience he's had in the Oval Office, I think he has probably learned some things that he is going to put into practice."
The Southern Baptist pastor recalls that Trump's 2016 campaign included an evangelical board of advisors, which was disbanded after he won. Jeffress, however, was one of several evangelicals who continued to have the president's ear and provided spiritual counsel when requested.
Jeffress shares that he still talks to President-elect Trump – and stands ready to advise if called on again. "There is no official 'board of evangelicals for White House consulting' – it's more informal … and I have talked to him recently. He's in great spirits," he adds.
The evangelical pastor is especially pleased with some of Trump's Cabinet picks, with one in particular hitting the mark.
"Who could be better as ambassador to Israel than Governor [Mike] Huckabee?" he wonders. "Governor Huckabee understands the geopolitical reasons that America should support Israel, but he also is cognizant of the biblical basis for supporting Israel."
Earlier today, Time magazine announced that Trump is its 2024 Person of the Year. He was honored in the same fashion by Time in 2016 when he was first elected to the White House.
