{"id":273628,"date":"2025-09-10T09:58:58","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T13:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?p=273628"},"modified":"2025-09-10T09:59:02","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T13:59:02","slug":"most-americans-dont-believe-god-played-a-role-in-recent-presidential-election-outcomes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2025\/09\/10\/most-americans-dont-believe-god-played-a-role-in-recent-presidential-election-outcomes\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Americans Don\u2019t Believe God Played a Role in Recent Presidential Election Outcomes"},"content":{"rendered":"

80% of U.S. Christians say \u2018good Christians\u2019 can disagree about Trump<\/h2>\n\n\n
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(EvgeniyShkolenko\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
About this research<\/summary>\n

This Pew Research Center report examines the U.S. public\u2019s views on whether God influences presidential elections, whether Christians think it is essential to support or oppose President Donald Trump, and how much religion influences the way people vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we do this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Center conducts high-quality research to inform the public, journalists and leaders. Studying the public\u2019s views about religion\u2019s role in public life is a key part of the Center\u2019s long-standing research agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Pew Research Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did we do this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This report includes findings from a survey of 8,937 U.S. adults who are part of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP)<\/a>. The survey was conducted from May 5 to 11, 2025. The survey\u2019s overall margin of error is plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the questions used for this report<\/a>, the topline<\/a> and the survey methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

What role do Americans think God played in the last two presidential elections? In a May 2025 survey, most U.S. adults say God played no role at all, while about a third say recent election results are part of God\u2019s overall plan but don\u2019t necessarily mean God approved of the winner\u2019s policies. Very few say God chose the winners because of their policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For example, when asked what role they think God played in the 2024 presidential election,<\/strong> more than six-in-ten U.S. adults surveyed say either that God doesn\u2019t get involved in presidential elections (49%) or that they don\u2019t believe in God (14%). Roughly one-third say President Donald Trump\u2019s victory must have been part of God\u2019s plan, but that this doesn\u2019t necessarily mean God approves of Trump\u2019s policies. Just 4% say God chose Trump to become president in 2024 because God approves of his policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same survey asked Americans what role God played in the 2020 election, <\/strong>and the results are strikingly similar. Overall, 62% say either that God doesn\u2019t get involved in presidential elections or that they don\u2019t believe in God. Roughly one-third say Biden\u2019s 2020 victory must have been part of God\u2019s plan but didn\u2019t imply that God endorsed Biden\u2019s policies. And 2% say God chose Biden to become president because God approved of his policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Americans\u2019 views about God\u2019s role in these recent elections are similar to what we found in a February 2020 poll<\/a>, when we asked Americans to look back on Trump\u2019s 2016 election and Obama\u2019s 2008 and 2012 victories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another question in the survey, given only to Christian respondents, asked if it is essential for \u201ca good Christian\u201d to support Trump, essential for \u201ca good Christian\u201d to oppose Trump, or if \u201cgood Christians can disagree about Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, there\u2019s consensus among most American Christians that \u201cgood Christians\u201d do not need to take a particular view on Trump:<\/p>\n\n\n\n