Trump's Former Spiritual Advisor Walks With 6 Months After Abusing A 12-Year-Old Girl

In a shocking fall from grace, Robert Morris, a former spiritual adviser to US President Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, but will only serve just six months in jail.

Morris, the founder and long-standing senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, admitted in court in Oklahoma that he committed 'lewd or indecent acts' with a minor in the early 1980s.

The victim, now 55-year-old Cindy Clemishire, says the abuse began in 1982, when Morris was a 21-year-old travelling evangelist staying with her family. The abuse allegedly continued for four years.

Decades-Old Abuse Comes To Light

Clemishire first came forward publicly in 2024, accusing Morris of grooming and abusing her when she was just 12 years old. Her story was first reported by church-watchdog sites and later confirmed in formal legal action.

She described how Morris stayed in her family's home and initiated a predatory relationship; her sister later said Morris had invited her into his room and told her to lie on her back.

Morris initially denied the age of the victim, referring vaguely to 'a young lady' in previous statements, but under mounting pressure, he resigned as senior pastor of Gateway Church in June 2024.

On 02 October 2025, Morris entered a guilty plea before an Oklahoma judge on five felony counts of 'lewd or indecent acts with a child'. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he was sentenced to 10 years, but all but six months were suspended. He will serve those six months in the Osage County Jail, where the abuse occurred.

A Fall From Influence in Trump's Orbit

Morris was no minor figure. He founded Gateway Church, which grew into one of America's largest megachurches, and was appointed to Donald Trump's evangelical advisory board during Trump's first presidency. Trump even visited Gateway Church in 2020, praising Morris and his leadership.

For his part, Clemishire made a powerful statement in court, 'There is no such thing as consent from a 12-year-old child. We were never in an "inappropriate relationship". I was not a "young lady" but a child. You committed a crime against me'. Her sister, who also addressed the court, accused Morris of hiding behind a false facade of holiness on the pulpit.

The scandal has cast a spotlight on Gateway Church's leadership, too. Court filings and church records suggest that some elders were aware of Morris's 'highly inappropriate relationship' decades ago but failed to act.

After the allegations became public in 2024, the church carried out an independent review led by a law firm. The result, several church elders were removed for their inaction.

What the Survivor Hopes For

For Clemishire, the plea deal, however limited, represents a long-awaited reckoning. 'Justice has finally been served', she said in a public statement. She expressed hope that her courage to speak up could encourage other abuse survivors to break their silence.

Yet many observers, including victim advocates, have decried the plea as too lenient. Critics argue that Morris's years of influence and connections should have brought a harsher reckoning. The six-month incarceration in the county jail of the very place where the abuse occurred is seen by some as symbolic, but not truly punitive.

Now, as Morris begins his sentence and his probation, the conversation turns to institutional responsibility. How did he retain such influence for so long? Did the church leadership prioritise reputation over safeguarding? And will this conviction prompt reforms in how megachurches handle historic abuse allegations?

Only time will tell whether this instance of justice sets a precedent — or simply becomes another footnote in a long history of abuse being exposed.