Trump rallies evangelical support in Miami
President Trump marked the launch of his "Evangelicals for Trump" coalition at El Rey Jesus Church in Miami Friday, the day after he ordered a deadly strike on Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds military force and one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic.
"Soleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now forever gone," the president said during his speech at the church, adding Soleimani had been plotting attacks but they've been "stopped for good."
"He was planning a very major attack, and we got him," the president told a supportive audience.
Earlier in the afternoon, Mr. Trump addressed reporters, insisting, "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war."
Evangelicals, particularly white evangelicals, were a critical voting bloc in propelling the thrice-married president who says he's never asked God for forgiveness to the White House in 2016. And the president said he thinks he can improve upon that performance among evangelicals in 2020.
"I really do believe we have God on our side. I believe that, I believe that," the president said from the stage.
The president's speech comes as the commander-in-chief is ensuring his grip on the evangelical vote, after a widely circulated Christianity Today editorial denounced him in December. The day after that editorial ran, the Trump campaign announced the launch of the Evangelicals for Trump coalition in Miami.
Soleimani was tracked before deadly strike
