Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday that he doesn't believe President Trump is "a very good role model for a lot of different youth," and that disagreements on rhetoric have been a "grand challenge" for him as a person of faith.
"I said very early on in the campaign time period, when people asked me in 2016, 'What are you looking for?' Well, I said I always look for a president who can be a role model. I don't think that President Trump, as a person, is a very good role model for a lot of different youth, but that's just me personally. I don't like the way that he tweets, some of the things that he says — his word choices, at times, are not my word choices."
Details: Specifically, Lankford said he disagrees with Trump's tweeting habits and language, but that he's willing to work with the president when they agree on policies.
- "On the issues of abortion, for instance, he's been tenaciously pro-life," Lankford said. "He's focused on putting people around him that are very focused on religious liberty — not honoring a particular faith, but honoring any person of any faith."
The big picture: An editorial by the influential evangelical magazine Christianity Today calling for Trump's removal from office has ignited a debate within the evangelical community over how to reconcile Trump's personal actions with his administration's strong record of pursuing favorable social policies.
- About 81% of white evangelical Christians voted for Trump in 2016, according to Pew Research Center.
In response to the editorial, the Trump campaign is working to secure its support within the evangelical community ahead of the 2020 election. Trump plans to hold a rally to launch the "Evangelicals for Trump" coalition in an Apostolic megachurch in Miami on Jan. 3.
Go deeper:
- Nearly 200 evangelical leaders rebuke Christianity Today for anti-Trump editorial
- Christianity Today editor explains his decision to call for Trump's removal
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that 81% of white evangelicals voted for Trump in 2016.