Inside the secretive church that’s become Trump’s biggest female fan group

Among the hordes of Donald Trump supporters in attendance at campaign rallies is a group that the former president fondly refers to as “those beautiful ladies from North Carolina.”

The women, often pictured smiling bigly and in their Sunday best, are all members of the same evangelical church.

The Word of Faith Fellowship, in Spindale, was established in 1979, and according to its website its members “strive to live righteous, godly lives.”

But they have also been accused of using foreigners, including teenagers, for unpaid labor.

At his rallies, Trump has often used women from the church – who have attended over 250 rallies – to prove his popularity with female voters, proudly observing that they attend his rallies “without their husbands.”

“Somebody said, ‘Women don’t like Donald Trump,’” he said from a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania on August 30. “I said, ‘I think that’s wrong. I think they love me.’ I love them…”

He added: “They’re wealthy as hell. Look at them. They’ve got nothing but cash.”

According to the self-styled “North Carolina Girls”, and contrary to the former president’s claims, the women and their husbands serve as a trusted volunteer arm of the Trump campaign’s advance team.

The New York Times reports that the group arrives well before the beginning of events, helping to set up chairs in the VIP section and run the media sign-in table. In recent months, the women’s husbands have also been seen distributing floor passes and providing impromptu security.

Despite this Trump makes no direct reference to the church itself and does not name it when speaking, perhaps intentionally.

The Word of Faith Fellowship has faced scrutiny as far back as 1995, following a report by the TV news journal “Inside Edition” which culminated in an investigative series by two Associated Press reporters and later a book.

The AP investigation found that Word of Faith Fellowship used its two church branches in Brazil to siphon a steady flow of young laborers who came on tourist and student visas to its 35-acre compound in rural North Carolina.

Some 16 Brazilian former members told the AP they were forced to work, often for no pay, and were physically or verbally assaulted. One individual said that workers were treated “as slaves,” while another claimed she was just 12 years old the first time she was put to work.

Victims were reportedly told that they would be “violating God’s will” if they refused to do as they were told.

The church has vehemently denied all the allegations, writing in a statement at the time that it was “appalled” to learn of the allegations, described as “obviously preposterous” and “all false.”

“Clearly, there is a group of people determined to stop at nothing in their campaign to destroy our ministry,” an online statement reads. “We are confident that the truth will ultimately prevail and we remain hopeful that the public will see through these fabrications and see them for what they are.”

Joshua Farmer, the organization’s lawyer, told The Independent that Word of Faith Fellowship had been “repeatedly vindicated against false attacks made against our church.” “The allegations in the Associated Press investigation are lies,” Farmer said in a statement.

Following an investigation, four congregation members were convicted on federal charges in 2018 in connection with an unemployment benefits scheme. No charges were brought in relation to any allegations of abuse.

The church has remained a prevalent, though perhaps controversial, player in local Republican party politics in Rutherford County, where Spindale is located. In July, the church reportedly backed a fundraiser for embattled state Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, who is accused of writing posts calling himself a “black NAZI” on a porn site.

When asked about Word of Faith’s role in the Trump campaign and at rallies, Farmer offered a statement on behalf of the women and their husbands.

“We volunteer for the Trump campaign because we are fighting for our country and for the principles and values that have made this nation great. God has spoken to our hearts that President Trump is the person who will lead this country in the right direction,” the statement read.

“We have witnessed how President Trump’s leadership brought prosperity, safety, and liberty to America. His policies on important issues such as economics, immigration, foreign policy, and national security, have greatly benefited all citizens.

“Therefore, as a result of such compelling reasons, we have volunteered some of our time to further these principles and values that we share with President Trump.”

The Independent has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment on Word of Faith Fellowship’s attendance at rallies.