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Christian Leader: 'I Genuinely Do Not Understand' Trump Voters

Christian Leader: 'I Genuinely Do Not Understand' Trump Voters

The head cleric of the Church of England says he's perplexed by Christians who support President Donald Trump.

The Most Rev. Justin Welby, the archbishop Of Canterbury, was asked by ITV's Robert Peston on Sunday if he understands why fundamentalist Christians in the United States are so supportive of Trump.

"There's two things going through my mind: Do I say what I think, or do I say what I should say? And I'm going to say what I think," said Welby. "No, I don't understand it. I really, genuinely do not understand where that is coming from."

White evangelical Christians have been key part of Trump's base, with 81 percent of them voting for him in 2016. A Fox News poll last month found 66 percent approve of the job he's doing, far higher than the president's overall approval rating of 38 percent.

Peston asked the archbishop if he would meet with Trump during his planned visit to the United Kingdom early next year.

Welby said he would, but don't read too much into that.

"I spent years and years involved in conflict stuff around the world where I met people who had killed many, many people," he said. "Part of the job is to meet people you disagree with and to testify of the love of Christ to them and to seek to draw them into a different way."

Welby said he's already been invited to a dinner with Trump, but odds are they'll do little more than shake hands at the event.

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