Appointed by God?

From Patheos:

Last year a poll showed that 29.6 percent of white Protestants in America believed that Trump was appointed by God. That figure, according to a fresh poll, has risen to 49 percent.

That figure is contained in Trump the Anointed? published by Religion in Public.

Researchers Paul A Djupe of Denison University and Ryan P Burge of Eastern Illinois University compared survey data from May 2019 among white Protestants to a survey they conducted in March of this year.

Last August, Trump sparked controversy when, during a press conference that included a question about trade negotiations with China, he called himself “the chosen one.”

Pointing skywards Trump said:

"I am the chosen one. Somebody had to do it. So I’m taking on China. I’m taking on China on trade. And you know what? We’re winning. I was put here by people to do a great job. And that’s what I’m doing. And nobody has done a job like I’ve done."

On the same day, Trump retweeted a comment by conservative radio host Wayne Allyn Root, comparing the president to the “King of Israel” and “the Second Coming.”

Robert George, professor and former chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, was among the many critics of the narcissist’s comparison:

For heaven’s sake (I’m speaking literally here), Mr. President you are not ‘like the King of Israel.’ You are certainly not ‘like the second coming of God.’ Why retweet nutty, and to religious ears deeply offensive, talk like this?

Jay Lowder, a Texas-based evangelist who identified as a Trump supporter, called it “one of Trump’s most disturbing steps” and encouraged evangelicals to end their “silence” on the matter. 

In an opinion column for The Washington Post last year he wrote:

"Trump is neither the ‘Second Coming of God’ nor the ‘Messiah.’ In repeating the profane quote, he gave a narcissistic endorsement and even thanked Root, a well-known conspiracy theorist, for his words."

Trump later walked back his comment, claiming in a tweet that he was being sarcastic and that the reporters present knew he was just joking...