Tony Perkins, president of the
Christian conservative Family Research Council (FRC), told reporters
on Tuesday that he agrees with Donald Trump's assertion that he would
be better for the LGBT community than Hillary Clinton, his Democratic
rival.
Trump reiterated his claim on Tuesday,
saying that “he's better for gays.”
(Related: Donald
Trump says he would “look into” issuing LGBT proclamation as
president.)
Perkins made his comments during a
press conference following a meeting between Trump and hundreds of
religious leaders.
“What he was saying is no American,
regardless of your political ideology or your life choices, should be
living under the threat of a terrorist attack on the streets of the
United States of America,” Perkins
said. “I agree 100 percent with that. No American, no American,
which they are under Barack Obama, living in fear because of Islamic
terrorists coming to this country; so yes, LGBT, Catholic,
Protestant, atheist. As one who wore the uniform as a United States
Marine and was a police officer, no American, no American should live
in fear and that is exactly what Donald Trump was saying and
evangelicals believe the same thing.”
“That's why our military is filled
with evangelicals who are willing to lay down their lives for the
rights of people to live in ways they might not agree with, but not
to live in fear,” he added. “So, yes, I agree with what Donald
Trump said and I think most evangelicals would as well.”
After Tuesday's meeting, the Trump
campaign announced the formation of his Evangelical Executive
Advisory Board.
(Related: Michele
Bachmann, James Dodson, Robert Jeffress to advise Donald Trump.)