Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will announce next week that he is being endorsed by a coalition of 100 black pastors and religious leaders, reports say.
Trump is expected to meet with the coalition of black religious leaders and pastors privately on Monday at Trump Towers in New York City. He will then hold a press conference at 1 p.m. ET to announce their support.
The group of leaders are expected to come from early primary states like South Carolina and Florida.
Trump has held several meetings with evangelical Christians during his presidential campaign.
One of the people who was impressed with Trump after meeting him was Darrell Scott, pastor of the New Spirit Revival Center in Ohio. Scott helped organize the coalition of black leaders who are expected to meet with Trump Monday.
Scott told the New York Times that, after meeting with Trump, he realized that he was the best candidate for president and said that accusations of racism in the media against Trump were false.
“I was looking for some subtle hints of racism,” Mr. Scott said. “I didn’t see it at all.”
Pastor Mark Burns of South Carolina told the Wall Street Journal that he will also be endorsing Trump.
“He’s the best candidate for the Republican nomination” said Burns.
Donald Trump continues to lead in national polls for the Republican presidential nomination, with 28 percent of Republican-leaning voters, followed by Ben Carson with 18 percent. Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz are tied with 14 percent.