Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg said on Sunday night he and Vice-President Mike Pence have different views of their Christian faith and he does not understand Pence’s loyalty to Donald Trump.

The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said his feeling “is that the scripture is about protecting the stranger, the prisoner, the poor person, and that idea of welcome. That’s what I get in the Gospel when I’m in church.”

He said Pence’s view “has a lot more to do with sexuality, a certain view of rectitude”.

Buttigieg said he was puzzled by such strong support for the president from Pence, a former governor of his state.

“How could Pence allow himself to become the cheerleader of the porn star presidency?” and added, “Is it that he stopped believing in scripture, when he started believing in Donald Trump? I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Buttigieg, who is gay, made the comments at a CNN town hall in Austin, Texas. The remark was greeted with applause.

Among Trump’s many legal troubles are ramifications from payments made to Stephanie Clifford, better known as Stormy Daniels, her name as an actor and director in adult films.

Clifford claims to have had a sexual liaison with Trump, a claim he denies. His former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has presented evidence of the payments to Congress.

Buttigieg also said he had “disagreed with [Pence] ferociously … but I thought, well, at least he believes in our institutions and he’s not personally corrupt. But then … how could he get on board with this presidency?”