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World News

Donald Trump inauguration: Christians have their say

The tycoon-turned-politician addressed hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington DC and millions watching around the world, in his first speech as President.

A considerable security operation had been launched ahead of the event, including a heavily guarded perimeter around the US Capitol building where the ceremony took place.

Tens of thousands of protesters have been taking to the streets of cities around the world in opposition to Trump's presidency.

Speaking at a concert at the Lincoln Memorial on Thursday, Trump told supporters: "We're going to unify our country.

"We're going to make American great for all our people.

"We're going to do things that haven't been done for our country for many, many decades. It's going to change."

Dr Dave Landrum, Director of Advocacy at the Evangelical Alliance, told Premier's Inspirational Breakfast Trump could be very good for Britain's future.

He said: "He seems incredibly warm towards the UK. Over the years he's been known as a little bit of an anglophile; his mother is half Scottish and he's made some very positive noises about our decision to leave the European Union.

"It seems that the UK is in a very good position at this moment in time to deal with the new Trump administration."

Dr Landrum added we need to be praying Donald Trump's team would set him in the right direction.

"Will his character traits - his narcissistic tendencies and his ego - be contained by this office? I hope so.

"He's got some good people around him; his Vice President Mike Pence is a born-again Christian. He's got some people in his team that hopefully can give him good advice.

"We should pray as Christians for good counsel."

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Donald Trump, accompanied by Mike Pence pauses after placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns on Thursday

John Zmirak the Senior Editor at conservative blog Stream.org, told Inspirational Breakfast that Trump owes his presidency to the middle classes.

He said: "It is to some degree the people in the middle of America pushing back against the people economically at the very top and the people dependent on government assistance.

"It's an interesting phenomenon I call the revenge of the middle."

Zmirak added that Trump will keep evangelicals - 80 per cent of whom voted overwhelmingly in his favour - on his side by upholding Christian values.

"I think he'll keep them by making solid appointments to the US Supreme Court who protect religious freedom and who advance the right to life for unborn children.

"I think evangelicals will be heartened and excited to see who he appoints to the court."

But Christina Rees CBE, a former member of the General Synod who supported Hillary Clinton in the election, told Inspirational Breakfast she doesn't think Donald Trump is up to the job.

Rees said: "I still think he is something of an unknown. I still think he is liable to speak off the top of his head in an ill-considered way. I question whether he is open to wise counsel.

"I know it's not up for us to judge if someone is a real Christian or not but Jesus said 'by your fruits you shall know them'. We know the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... do we see those fruits in Trump's life?"

Mihai Lundell, a Christian American who used to work as a journalist in Minneapolis, told Premier's News Hour the service points to the country's Christian heritage.

He said: "Even on the money, it says 'In God we trust', even though, in many regards, America has turned very much away from God.

"I think it's very important for all Amercians to be in prayer for the country and the president, so I think it's very important."

Mihai Lundell went on to say there is hope among some believers of a return to more conversative Christian values when it comes to issues such as abortion.

He went on to say: "For some Christians, there's hope that we can stop being a country which kills unborn children, there's hope that laws in the country will be respected.

"A lot of Christians in the past eight years under Obama were ignored.

"Trump won because a lot of people in middle America felt that they didn't recognise the country anymore, they felt that Christian values had been denigrated and without [them] having any say."

Listen to Premier's Rosie Wright speaking to Dr Dave Landrum on Inspirational Breakfast:

Listen to Premier's Rosie Wright speaking to John Zmirak on Inspirational Breakfast:

Listen to Premier's Aaron James speaking to Mihai Lundell on the News Hour:

Listen to Premier's Rosie Wright speaking to Christina Rees CBE:

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