Christian Nationalists Are All in on Trump—and Vice Versa
Compared to “skeptics” or “rejecters” of Christian nationalism, adherents and supporters are also more likely to agree that “because things have gone too far off the rails, true American patriots may have to resort to violence to save our country.” Christian nationalist beliefs were also strongly correlated with support for authoritarianism. Seventy-three percent of members and 68 percent of supporters agree with the statement that “President Trump is a strong leader who should be given the power he needs to make America great again.”
Americans who hold Christian nationalist beliefs are also more likely to be aligned with Trump’s positions on immigration, with the majority of adherents and supporters agreeing with the “great replacement” theory that “immigrants are invading our country and replacing our cultural and ethnic background,” and with the idea that undocumented immigrants should be deported without due process.
Trump embraced Christian nationalism during his second term. Among other measures, he created a Religious Liberty Commission, which includes several conservative Christian religious leaders and commentators. In his remarks to the commission in September at the Museum of the Bible, Trump attacked the separation of church and state and said, “As president, I will always defend the glorious heritage of our nation and we will protect the Judeo-Christian principles of our founding.” » Meanwhile, at the memorial service for right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk that same month, Vice President JD Vance encouraged Americans to “put Christ at the center of their lives.” The previous month, The Department of Defense’s official social media account posted a recruiting video overlaid with a Bible verse, in keeping with a social media trend of agencies echoing white supremacist messages.
