Tony Perkins Touts GDP Growth, Rebukes Media: 'This President Could Cure Cancer and They Would Complain'

WASHINGTON – The US economy is booming, but some supporters of President Donald Trump say he gets little credit from his critics – chief among them being some members of the mainstream media. 
 
"This president could cure cancer and they would complain because they're emptying out hospitals," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Center, told CBN News.

His words come on the heels of news that the country's GDP grew by 4.1 percent in the second quarter of 2018. 
 
"This president gets no credit for what he is doing except among his base supporters who see through the partisanship and the left-wing commitment of the mainstream media that's trying to stop this president," Perkins continued. 
 
He also weighed in on the mainstream media coverage of Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney, who's now speaking out against the president. 
 
"Look, people knew this president had some skeletons in his closet," said Perkins. "But they had a choice between Hillary Clinton and him."

Perkins went on to add that Trump made promises on the campaign trail that he's kept in office – among them, promoting religious freedom, nominating conservative Supreme Court judges and growing the US economy.

So, is there a line evangelicals aren't willing to cross when it comes to Trump and their support for him? 
 
"I think there is a line in which the evangelical support for the president would begin to turn," said Perkins. "I think that line is – if the president were to engage in behavior that is alleged to have occurred prior to him being president, if that type of behavior were to occur now." 
 
Perkins believes one other thing that would cause evangelical support for the president to erode would be if he stopped delivering on his promises. 
 
One major promise Trump and his administration continue to make good on is the promotion of religious freedom. 
 
Speaking at the State Department's Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence had a direct message for the country of Turkey regarding their ongoing detainment of American Pastor Andrew Brunson. The NATO ally just released Brunson from prison and put him on house arrest. 
 
"On behalf of the president of the United States of America, release Pastor Andrew Brunson now or be prepared to face to consequences," warned Pence. "If Turkey does not take immediate action to free this innocent man of faith and send him home to America, the United States will impose significant sanctions on Turkey." 
 
Perkins praised Pence's speech and the administration's overall efforts to help Brunson. 
 
"I can't recall a time where I've see the vice president more forceful in his comments than yesterday," he said. "He was not speaking for himself. He was speaking for the president and for this administration and it was a clear unequivocal message for the tyrants in Turkey: Let Pastor Brunson go."