What is Trump's stated religious affiliation in 2025?
Executive summary
Donald J. Trump identifies as a non‑denominational Christian and was raised in his mother's Presbyterian tradition, a shift in labeling he made public in 2020 and that subsequent reporting through 2025 continues to treat as his stated affiliation [1] [2] [3]. Observers note that his faith language and institutional ties—especially to evangelical networks and the New Apostolic Reformation—play a central role in his political coalition, even as critics characterize his religious rhetoric as transactional [2] [4] [5].
1. How Trump labels himself: “non‑denominational Christian” and its provenance
In a written interview published by Religion News Service in 2020, Trump told reporters he no longer considered himself a Presbyterian and described himself as a nondenominational Christian, a description picked up by religious news outlets and denominational bodies such as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) [1]. Encyclopedic and contemporary accounts cite that same self‑label when summarizing his religious identity in 2025, indicating that his public statement about being nondenominational has been the enduring explanation for his affiliation in later coverage [2] [3].
2. The roots: raised Presbyterian, but not an active congregant
Biographical summaries consistently note that Trump was raised in his mother's Scottish‑born Presbyterian faith and had long publicly described himself as a Protestant or Presbyterian for much of his adult life [2]. Reporting also records that while Trump has told interviewers he attended Marble Collegiate Church, the congregation has described him as not an active member, and associates of the church said he had not been present in recent years—details that contextualize the shift from a denominational label to a nondenominational one [2].
3. What “nondenominational” means in practice for his politics and messaging
Multiple sources show that Trump’s religious identity is intertwined with political strategy: his rallies and administration have adopted Christian nationalist symbols and language, he maintains relationships with influential evangelical movements such as the New Apostolic Reformation, and his administration created explicit faith‑focused offices and executive actions to advance religious liberty agendas [2] [5] [6]. Supporters frame these moves as defending religious freedom, while critics say they blur church‑state lines and argue his religious rhetoric often serves political ends more than describing private devotional life [6] [5] [2].
4. Competing readings and limits of the sources
There are competing ways to interpret the label “nondenominational Christian”: some religious scholars and journalists treat it as Trump’s sincere self‑identification, echoed by his own words and by White House faith initiatives; others view it as part of a transactional relationship with faith communities that has been politically advantageous, particularly with evangelicals who have supported him despite personal misgivings [1] [4] [2]. The available reporting establishes what Trump says about his affiliation and how institutions and commentators respond, but these sources do not provide direct evidence about internal spiritual convictions beyond public statements, so any assertion about private belief must be treated as beyond the scope of the cited reporting [1] [2].
5. Bottom line for 2025: the stated affiliation and the public record
As of 2025, the public record and mainstream reporting present Trump’s stated religious affiliation as nondenominational Christian, with an acknowledged upbringing in the Presbyterian tradition and a documented pattern of engaging with evangelical and charismatic leaders politically [1] [2] [5]. Observers differ on whether that label reflects personal theology or political posture; both readings are supported in the reporting cited here [2] [4].