Survey: White Evangelicals See Trump As 'Honest' And 'Morally Upstanding'

White evangelicals in the United States, the core of President Donald Trump's political base, have far more positive views of his personal conduct and character than other U.S. adults.

By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, white evangelicals are more likely than other Americans to say the terms "morally upstanding" and "honest" describe Trump at least "fairly well," according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.

The evangelical assessment does come with some reservations. Only about 15% of white evangelicals, for example, say "morally upstanding" describes Trump "very well," while another 45% say the term applies to Trump "fairly well." Two-thirds of U.S. adults as a whole say that characterization fits him "not too well" or "not at all well."

The evangelical view of Trump stands out not just by its divergence from the broader U.S. opinion, but by its apparent disconnect from conventional standards.