A MAGA pastor tied to President Trump defended him by saying it doesn’t matter that Trump “grabbed” women and boasted about it.
A MAGA pastor who has been described as a spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump insists that the president’s past remarks about women “doesn’t matter,” even when confronted directly about allegations that Trump “grabbed” women against their will and boasted about it.
In an interview Tuesday. Mark Burns responded to criticism raised by New Yorker staff writer Isaac Chotiner. who challenged Burns on how to think about Trump’s behavior toward women.. Burns’s position was blunt: “it doesn’t matter” that Trump allegedly grabbed women and spoke about it in a way that offends basic expectations of consent and respect.
Chotiner pushed back. saying he had not “grabbed women against their will and bragged about it.” He also referenced other controversies. including claims that Trump posted imagery of the Obamas as apes—an example Chotiner used to argue that a “sliding scale” of judgment was being applied depending on who is involved.
Burns’s answer shifted from the specific allegations to a broader religious framework.. He argued that God—not people—should be treated as the ultimate judge. and he pointed to the way society often weighs different sins.. In his view. human standards may assign disproportionate consequences to certain wrongdoing over others. while spiritual accountability ultimately rests with God. who. he said. is a “God of forgiveness” and “a God of love.”
When Chotiner pressed again—“It doesn’t matter?”—Burns expanded the argument beyond theology and into politics. saying it appeared not to matter to American voters either.. He pointed to election outcomes. saying voters supported Trump and made him president “twice. ” with “many” suggesting he could have been elected “three times. ” reflecting the way supporters frame their case that Trump’s controversies have not prevented electoral success.
The exchange also drew on an episode Earlier this year when Trump faced backlash for posting a video featuring former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama depicted as a pair of apes.. Burns later issued a statement responding to that controversy, blaming what he called a rogue employee for the offensive post.
In that earlier statement. Burns said he had spoken directly with Trump about the “offensive Obama ape video” that circulated online.. He reported that Trump assured him he did not post it. and that Trump understood the “painful and racist history” of depicting African Americans as apes—an argument Burns linked to the tactics of white supremacists used to demean Black intelligence and humanity.
Burns said he recommended that the staffer responsible should be fired immediately and that Trump should publicly condemn the incident.. He also argued that the communication did not reflect what he characterized as Trump’s heart and values or the kind of leadership the president was trying to provide.
Taken together. the interviews underscore a recurring pattern in the way some Trump loyalists respond to controversies: rather than concede wrongdoing by the president personally. they often pivot to claims about forgiveness. moral judgment. and accountability—while also emphasizing that voters ultimately chose Trump anyway.
Mark Burns MAGA pastor Donald Trump women allegations religious justification election support presidential controversies
so pastors just dont care anymore i guess
I mean the guy literally said on tape and this pastor is up there defending it like its nothing. My church back home would never allow this kind of talk from the pulpit. Its embarrassing honestly and makes all christians look bad not just the maga ones.
ok but wasnt this the same pastor who got caught doing something shady like a few years back I swear I saw something about him on facebook. Anyway the whole god is forgiving argument only works if you actually ask for forgiveness right like thats literally the whole point of christianity you have to repent first. Trump never said sorry not once. Also I think Burns is from South Carolina or somewhere like that my cousin mentioned him before. Either way this whole interview sounds like it went sideways real fast and honestly the reporter guy was probably just trying to trap him which they always do with trump people.
People voted for him so technically Burns is right that voters didnt care. But thats not the same as saying it didnt happen or it was ok. Those are two completely different things and I feel like everyone on both sides keeps mixing them up. Like yes he won the election we all know that but winning doesnt mean the thing wasnt wrong it just means enough people either didnt believe it or didnt care which is actually way more depressing if you think about it. And now we got pastors going on interviews basically saying grab whoever you want as long as you win elections and God will sort it out. I grew up religious and this is not what any of that means. God of forgiveness is real but thats not a free pass to do whatever and then just point at the sky. That argument could justify literally anything and I mean anything. Frustrating doesnt even cover it.