Evangelicals split over Trump’s Iran war and immigration policies

Trump has historically delivered on key evangelical priorities, including securing a conservative Supreme Court majority that overturned nationwide abortion rights.

Evangelical Christians, long considered a cornerstone of Donald Trump’s political base, are showing signs of division over his administration’s handling of the war in Iran and immigration enforcement.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted June 3–8 found that 54 percent of evangelicals believe Trump’s use of the military in Iran is not consistent with their understanding of Christianity, while 41 percent said it is. On immigration, 51 percent said the administration’s approach does not align with Christian values, compared with 44 percent who said it does.

Overall, Trump’s approval rating among evangelicals has slipped to 52 percent, down from 61 percent last August, though still far higher than his 35 percent approval among all U.S. adults. The decline reflects broader dissatisfaction as the Iran war drives up gasoline prices and household costs.

Trump has historically delivered on key evangelical priorities, including securing a conservative Supreme Court majority that overturned nationwide abortion rights. He has also invited faith leaders into the Oval Office and expanded protections for religious expression in federal workplaces. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Trump has “delivered to people of faith by defending religious rights and pardoning anti-abortion activists convicted of crimes.”

Yet cracks in the bloc are evident as midterm elections approach. Some evangelicals, like Sandy Miller of Indiana, say they can no longer support Trump. Miller, whose daughter lost Medicaid benefits under his administration, said her faith guides her vote more than finances. “I just don’t think waging war is the answer to everything all the time,” she said.

Others remain firmly supportive. Connie Reese of Iowa said Trump’s backing of Israel and the war in Iran has biblical precedent. “The re-establishment of Israel is a prophetic answer clearly spelled out in the word of God,” he said, adding that governments have the right to defend themselves preemptively.

The divide underscores the challenge for Republicans as they defend slim congressional majorities in November. Evangelicals skew heavily Republican, with Trump winning 81 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2024. But with thousands killed in Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq since the war began in February, and with U.S. voters increasingly weary of conflict and rising costs, the administration faces growing pressure to reconcile its policies with the values of a constituency that has long been central to its political strength.