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Falwell faces flak for posing with Trump in front of Playboy

by Jesse Byrnes - 06/22/16 9:04 AM ET

Jerry Falwell Jr. on Tuesday faced criticism for sharing a photo of him and his wife with Donald Trump in the businessman’s office, which included a framed Playboy cover in the background.

Falwell, president of the evangelical Liberty University, tweeted the image after a meeting of evangelical leaders and social conservatives with Trump in New York:

Honored to introduce @realDonaldTrump at religious leader summit in NYC today! He did incredible job! @beckifalwell pic.twitter.com/e2eBSbQwb0

— J L Falwell (@JerryJrFalwell) June 21, 2016

{mosads}Falwell faced mockery after social media users pointed out the framed 1990 Playboy magazine cover hanging on the wall behind them.

He responded by calling those critical of him “hypocrites.”

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), a vocal critic of Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, also weighed in.

Honored for same hypocrites who accused Jesus of being a friend of publicans and sinners to be targeting me over a decades old mag cover! TY

— J L Falwell (@JerryJrFalwell) June 22, 2016

That’s not the text, Pastor.
Jesus came to comfort the poor & humble; not bow before those claiming worldly strength https://t.co/uIA1LWBxxD

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 22, 2016

Falwell and 20 others, including former Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), were announced Tuesday as members of the Trump campaign’s Evangelical Executive Advisory Board.

Falwell, who endorsed Trump in January, told Fox News’s “On The Record” that Trump told evangelical leaders he would appoint pro-life Supreme Court nominees, support Israel and defend religious liberty.

“I was very impressed. He was very presidential and he was really showing a deeper understanding than I’ve ever seen before of issues that are important to conservatives and Christians,” Falwell said.

Tags Donald Trump Michele Bachmann