Former Trump Adviser, Pastor Robert Morris, Pleads Guilty to Abusing 12-Year-Old Girl

Robert Preston Morris, a former megachurch pastor and former spiritual adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of child sexual abuse, stemming from incidents that occurred in the early 1980s.

Morris, 65, was indicted in Oklahoma on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, relating to abuse of Cindy Clemishire, who was 12 years old at the time the incidents began. According to court records, the abuse occurred over a period of four years while Morris was staying with the girl’s family in Hominy, Oklahoma.

During the plea hearing in October 2025, Morris admitted to committing the acts and acknowledged the illegality and harm of his conduct. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Morris was sentenced to 10 years, with six months to be served in county jail, and he is required to register as a sex offender. Additionally, he must pay $250,000 in restitution to the victim.

Speaking at sentencing, Clemishire said:

“There is no such thing as consent from a 12‑year-old child. I was not a ‘young lady’ but a child. You committed a crime against me.”

Morris, a prominent pastor in Texas and leader of Gateway Church, had previously served on Trump’s evangelical advisory board.

The case has drawn national attention due to his high-profile role as a religious leader and political adviser.

Legal experts and advocacy groups have criticized the relatively short jail sentence as inadequate, highlighting broader concerns about accountability in cases of historic child sexual abuse.

The case underscores the continuing legal and moral reckoning with sexual abuse allegations against individuals in positions of trust, particularly those who hold influence over vulnerable communities.