Mark Burns (pastor)

{{short description|American evangelical Christian|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Mark Burns

|image = Mark Burns (48514226041) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Burns in 2019

|birth_name = John Mark Burns

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|9|21}}

|birth_place = Anderson, South Carolina, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|spouse =

|children = 5

|occupation = Pastor, political candidate

|known_for = Co-founder, NOW Television Network

|education = Southern Wesleyan University
Tri-County Technical College
North Greenville University

|website = {{url|markburns.org|Official website}}

}}

John Mark Burns (born September 21, 1979) is an American evangelical minister, televangelist and politician who is the pastor of the Harvest Praise & Worship Center in South Carolina.{{cite web|url=http://theharvestpraise.org/|title=The Harvest Praise & Worship Center of Easley, SC|website=theharvestpraise.org|access-date=March 19, 2016}} He was an early supporter of Donald Trump during the 2016 United States presidential election and by 2023 was a board member of Pastors for Trump.{{cite news |last1=Stone |first1=Peter |title=Pro-Trump pastors rebuked for 'overt embrace of white Christian nationalism' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/01/far-right-pastors-embracing-trump-white-christian-nationalism |work=The Guardian |date=May 1, 2023}}

Burns unsuccessfully ran for the United States House of Representatives in South Carolina's 4th congressional district in 2018 and 2022. He unsuccessfully ran to represent the 3rd congressional district in the 2024 election. He is co-founder of the NOW Television Network.{{cite web|url=http://thenownetwork.org/|title=The NOW Television Network|website=thenownetwork.org|access-date=March 19, 2016}}

Early life and education

Burns briefly attended Southern Wesleyan University, then transferred to Tri-County Technical College, and again to North Greenville University, which he attended for one semester before dropping out.{{cite web|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/pastor-mark-burns-from-poverty-to-trump-supporter-and-now/article_feb3ea24-1bf2-11e8-a58f-9be4263d24dc.html|title= Pastor Mark Burns: From poverty to Trump supporter and now candidate for Congress |date=March 18, 2020|access-date=January 7, 2020|work=The Post and Courier|first=Jamie|last=Lovegrove}}{{cite news|last = Morin | first = Rebecca | title= Trump surrogate admits to falsifying biographical claims | url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/pastor-mark-burns-admits-to-falsifying-biographical-claims-227709 | work=Politico | date = September 3, 2016}}

= Education claims =

Burns claimed to have held a Bachelor of Science degree from North Greenville University{{cite news |first=Sophie |last=Tatum |title=Trump surrogate admits falsifying biographical claims |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/03/politics/mark-burns-donald-trump-interview/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=September 3, 2016 |access-date=September 3, 2016}} and claimed to have served six years in the U.S. Army Reserve. In August 2016, those claims were disproved by CNN. Burns attended North Greenville University for one semester and did not receive a degree. Burns served from 2001 to 2005 in the South Carolina Army National Guard, rather than the Army Reserve.{{cite web |last=Flores |first=Reena |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pastor-mark-burns-donald-trump-supporter-overstated-biography-details/ |title=Pastor Mark Burns, Donald Trump supporter, "overstated" biography details |publisher=CBS News |date=September 3, 2016 |access-date=September 5, 2016}} Burns said the false claims about his life on his website were the result of the website being hacked.{{cite news|last = Blake | first = Aaron| title= Trump backer Mark Burns's painfully bad attempts to defend his inflated resume | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/09/03/trump-backer-mark-burnss-defenses-of-his-inflated-bio-are-painfully-painfully-bad | newspaper=The Washington Post | date = September 3, 2016 |access-date=September 6, 2016}} Later, he admitted that he had lied about his education, but said he was attacked because he is "a black man supporting Donald Trump for president."

Career

=Religious career=

After working at a McDonald's, Burns founded a church in Easley, South Carolina, then moved into televangelism.

= Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign=

Burns was described by Time magazine as "Donald Trump's Top Pastor"{{cite magazine|last1=Dias|first1=Elizabeth|first2=Diane|last2=Tsai|title=Meet Donald Trump's Top Pastor|url=https://time.com/trump-pastor/|magazine=Time|access-date=December 22, 2016|year=2016}} and named one of the "16 People Who Shaped the 2016 Presidential Election" by Yahoo! News.{{Cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/16-people-who-shaped-the-2016-election-pastor-mark-burns-171839357.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=fb|title=16 people who shaped the 2016 election: Pastor Mark Burns|publisher=Yahoo News|access-date=November 22, 2016}} Burns said he had usually voted Democratic,{{cite web|last1=Jagannathan|first1=Meera|title=Meet Donald Trump supporters from the various groups he's offended — including women, Muslims and Mexican-Americans|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/meet-female-muslim-mexican-american-trump-supporters-article-1.2637077|website=Daily News|location=New York|access-date=December 22, 2016|date=May 15, 2016}} which included support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, saying, "I'm not ashamed to say that as a black man I wanted the first black man to enter the office."{{cite web|last1=Barnett|first1=Ron|date=July 14, 2016|title=Easley pastor to address Republican National Convention|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/pickens-county/2016/07/14/easley-pastor-address-republican-national-convention/87087476/|access-date=December 22, 2016|website=Florida Today}} He later said, in 2016, he had "seen the light." Of Trump, he said "He's a smart man. He knows authenticity. I believe he knows and recognizes real character."

At a Trump rally in North Carolina, Burns said that Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who is Jewish, "gotta get saved."{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2016/03/14/pastor-mark-burns-bernie-sanders-saved-sot-nr.cnn|title=Pro-Trump pastor: Bernie Sanders 'gotta get saved' |publisher=CNN|access-date=March 19, 2016}} Burns later addressed his statement and said he had not intended to criticize Judaism and that his remarks "had nothing to do with [Sanders'] faith or religion or conversion to Christianity."{{cite web|url=http://forward.com/news/breaking-news/344148/pro-trump-pastor-backtracks-on-claim-that-bernie-sanders-gotta-meet-jesus/|title=Pro-Trump Pastor Backtracks on Claim That Bernie Sanders 'Gotta Meet Jesus'|date=July 2, 2016 |publisher=Forward.com|access-date=July 22, 2016}}

Burns offered the benediction on the first day of the 2016 Republican National Convention. Before the prayer, he addressed the convention, called Trump a "man of God," and called on Republicans not to attack each other, labeling Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party the "enemy." Critics of the message, including the Interfaith Alliance, accused Burns of inserting God into partisan politics. Later, responding to the outrage, he said "If I could go back and use different wording I wouldn't have said 'enemy,' I would have said, 'political opponents.'"{{cite web |last=Barnett |first=Ron |url=http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article90986357.html |title=SC pastor Mark Burns' delivers benediction at Republican National Convention |work=The State |access-date=July 22, 2016}}

In August 2016, Burns was criticized after retweeting a digitally manipulated image of Hillary Clinton in blackface. Burns later stated, "I prayed that those who I offended really receive ... a sincere apology," adding that he believes that the Democratic Party uses black people for votes.{{cite web |first=Nick |last=Gass |title=Trump surrogate apologizes for Clinton blackface tweet |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/mark-burns-apologizes-clinton-blackface-227534 |work=Politico |date=August 30, 2016 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}{{cite web |title=Pro-Trump pastor regrets cartoon of Clinton in blackface, but "not the message" |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-supporter-pastor-mark-burns-hillary-clinton-apology-tweet-cartoon-blackface/ |publisher=CBS News |date=August 30, 2016 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}{{cite news |first1=Eric |last1=Bradner |first2=David |last2=Wright |title=Trump backer apologizes for blackface tweet, but stands by message |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/29/politics/mark-burns-clinton-blackface-cartoon-trump/ |publisher=CNN |date=August 30, 2016 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}

= 2018 U.S. House election=

{{main|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina#District 4}}

In February 2018, Burns announced his candidacy for South Carolina's 4th congressional district in the 2018 election.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/outspoken-pro-trump-pastor-mark-burns-joins-race-gowdy-seat-n848516 |title=Outspoken pro-Trump pastor Mark Burns joins the race for Gowdy seat |date=February 16, 2018 |publisher=NBC News}} He ran for the seat Trey Gowdy, who was retiring from Congress, held since 2011. Burns lost during the first round, receiving 2.48% of the vote.{{cite web |title=South Carolina's 4th Congressional District election, 2018 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/South_Carolina%27s_4th_Congressional_District_election,_2018 |website=ballotpedia.org |access-date=October 19, 2018}}

= 2022 U.S. House election=

{{main|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina#District 4}}

In 2022, Burns unsuccessfully challenged incumbent William Timmons in the Republican primary in South Carolina's 4th congressional district.{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/sc-election-results-2022-trump-033605206.html|title=SC Election Results 2022: Trump-backed William Timmons wins District 4 primary|date=June 15, 2022|access-date=July 7, 2022|work=Yahoo! News|first=Tim|last=Carlin}} Burns received 23.8% of the vote.

= 2024 U.S. House election =

{{further|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina#district 3}}

In 2024, Burns filed to run in South Carolina's 3rd congressional district in the 2024 election and was endorsed by Presidential candidate Donald Trump.{{Cite news |last=Benen |first=Steve |date=April 2, 2024 |title=Why Trump's endorsement of Mark Burns' GOP candidacy matters |url=https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-endorsement-mark-burns-gop-candidacy-matters-rcna146016 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=MSNBC}} In the primary, Burns came in first, receiving 33.2% of the vote. Failing to receive over 50% of the vote to win a primary in South Carolina, Burns advanced to a runoff with nurse practitioner Sheri Biggs, where she narrowly defeated him by 2% to become the Republican nominee on June 25th.{{Cite news |last=MUELLER |first=JULIA |date=June 25, 2024 |title=Trump-backed candidate loses South Carolina runoff, handing win to McMaster |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4739575-trump-backed-candidate-loses-south-carolina-runoff-handing-win-to-mcmaster/ |access-date=June 25, 2024 |work=The Hill}} {{Cite news |date=June 25, 2024 |title=Sheri Biggs wins runoff in Congressional District 3 race over Mark Burns |url=https://www.foxcarolina.com/video/2024/06/26/sheri-biggs-wins-runoff-congressional-district-3-race-over-mark-burns/ |access-date=June 25, 2024 |work=Fox Carolina}}

Views

= 2020 election =

In November 2020, during the 2020 presidential election, Burns made claims of voter fraud. He tweeted his concern towards "those who seek to undermine the sacred election process in our democracy" and shared that "President Trump is the clear winner of this 2020 Presidential election".{{Cite web|last=Ciliberto|first=Gina|date=2020-11-05|title=Pastors Work to Stop Evangelicals' Spread of 'Dangerous' Misinformation|url=https://sojo.net/articles/pastors-work-stop-evangelicals-spread-dangerous-election-misinformation|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Sojourners|language=EN}}

=Storming of the United States Capitol=

After the January 6 United States Capitol attack, Burns was among those who advanced the idea that people associated with antifa were responsible for the attack.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/trump-loyalists-push-evidence-free-claims-antifa-activists-fueled-mob-n1253176|title=Trump loyalists push evidence-free claims that antifa activists fueled mob|date=January 7, 2021|access-date=January 7, 2021|publisher=NBC News|first1=Brandy|last1=Zadrozny |author-link1=Brandy Zadrozny|first2=Ben|last2=Collins}}

= LGBTQ people =

In a 2022 interview with far-right internet personality Stew Peters, Burns called for the arrest of supportive parents of transgender children, comparing them and pro-LGBTQ teachers to the leaders of the Hitler Youth. He further called for their conviction for treason, reminding Peters that the penalty for treason is death.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-10 |title=Pro-Trump pastor wants LGBTQ "indoctrinators" executed for treason |url=https://www.newsweek.com/pro-trump-pastor-wants-lgbtq-indoctrinators-executed-treason-1714767 |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bollinger |first=Alex |title=MAGA Congressional candidate promises to "start executing people" who support LGBTQ youth |url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/06/maga-congressional-candidate-promises-start-executing-people-support-lgbtq-youth/ |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=LGBTQ Nation|date=June 9, 2022 }}

= Russo-Ukrainian War =

Despite having initially been "on record as being one of the staunch opponents of supporting Ukraine" during the Russo-Ukrainian War, following a personal visit to the country Burns admitted that he had been "brainwashed by fake news media about Ukraine" with regards to allegations of suppression of religious faith and atrocities being committed by Russia, declaring as a result his opinion of Vladimir Putin to be "Evil, pure evil".{{Cite web |date=2025-04-10 |title='Putin is pure evil' — Trump's spiritual advisor on Russia's war against Ukraine |url=https://kyivindependent.com/supporting-ukraine-is-america-first-trumps-spiritual-advisor-pastor-mark-burns/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website= The Kyiv Independent |language=en}}

Personal life

Burns and his ex-wife, Tomarra Burns, have two children. Burns has three children from a separate previous marriage and was the step-father to Tomarra’s two children from previous relationships.{{cite web |last=Lovegrove |first=Jamie |title=Pastor Mark Burns: From poverty to Trump supporter and now candidate for Congress |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/pastor-mark-burns-from-poverty-to-trump-supporter-and-now/article_feb3ea24-1bf2-11e8-a58f-9be4263d24dc.html |work=The Post and Courier|date=March 3, 2019}}