Radical 'Christian nationalists' plot takeover under Trump

by Gil Duran | FrameLab

Radical Republicans will use the power of the United States government to impose their extreme Christian Nationalist ideology on the country if Donald Trump wins the 2024 election. This is the disturbing upshot of three recent stories detailing the plans of prominent “Christian Nationalist” figures allied with Trump.

“An influential think tank close to Donald Trump is developing plans to infuse Christian nationalist ideas in his administration should the former president return to power,” wrote Alexander Ward and Heidi Przybala of Politico in a story headlined “Trump allies plan to infuse ‘Christian Nationalism’ in second administration.”

The infusion of religious influence is related to Project 2025, a right-wing governing agenda for “Day One of the next conservative Administration.”

Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, who served as Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget during his first term and has remained close to him. Vought, who is frequently cited as a potential chief of staff in a second Trump White House, is president of The Center for Renewing America think tank, a leading group in a conservative consortium preparing for a second Trump term.

Christian nationalists in America believe that the country was founded as a Christian nation and that Christian values should be prioritized throughout government and public life.

The draft plans outlined in documents obtained by Politico include “invoking the Insurrection Act on Day One to quash protests and refusing to spend authorized congressional funds on unwanted projects, a practice banned by lawmakers in the Nixon era.” In addition, Vought has close ties with former Trump Administration official William Wolfe, a Christian Nationalist who “has advocated for overturning same-sex marriage, ending abortion and reducing access to contraceptives.”

Christian Nationalism ‘manifesto’

Jenny Cohn of the Bucks County Beacon, a Pennsylvania newspaper, further exposed the thinking of the Christian Nationalist plotters. Cohn unearthed an online manifesto that contains specific details of how these radical Republicans intend to govern:

The manifesto, titled “The Statement on Christian Nationalism”, begins with a definition of “Christian Nationalism” that strives to implement a Scripture-based system of government whereby Christ-ordained “civil magistrates” exercise authority over the American public.

Specifically, it states that “Christian Nationalism is a set of governing principles rooted in Scripture’s teaching that Christ rules as supreme Lord and King of all creation, who has ordained civil magistrates with delegated authority to be under Him, over the people, to order their ordained jurisdiction by punishing evil and promoting good for His own glory and the common good of the nation.”

Read Cohn’s entire story, “Shocking online manifesto reveals Project 2025’s link to a coordinated Christian Nationalism project.”

The manifesto then states that, pursuant to Scripture, these “civil magistrates” have “lawful authority to punish civil crimes like assault, murder, rape, theft, fraud, man-stealing, and false witness, and to ensure proper due process through the civil courts, payment of liability for verifiably proven harm, and proportionality of punishment.” (Emphasis added.)

Prepping a ‘National Divorce’

Talking Points Memo followed up with an exposé on the Society for American Civic Renewal (SACR, pronounced “sacker”). This is a radical group of men preparing for a radical transformation of American governance if Trump wins a second term. Josh Kovensky of Talking Points memo describes it as:

A secret, men-only right-wing society with members in influential positions around the country is on a crusade: to recruit a Christian government that will form after the right achieves regime change in the United States, potentially via a “national divorce.”

Kovensky further writes:

It is open to new recruits, provided you meet a few criteria: you are male, a “trinitarian” Christian, heterosexual, an “un-hyphenated American,” and can answer questions about Trump, the Republican Party, and Christian Nationalism in the right way. One chapter leader wrote to a prospective member that the group aimed to “secure a future for Christian families.”

Read the entire story here: “Inside a secret society of prominent right-wing Christian men prepping for a national divorce.”

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Conservative ‘moral hierarchy’

So what’s behind this clear movement to replace democracy with theocracy? The answer is clearly found in the conservative moral hierarchy, which outlines the major Republican belief system.

In the conservative moral hierarchy, Christianity must be above other religions, just as whites must be above non-whites, men must be above women, and so on. Here is the hierarchy, as outlined by Dr. George Lakoff:

• God above Man
• Man above Nature
• The Disciplined (Strong) above the Undisciplined (Weak)
• The Rich above the Poor
• Employers above Employees
• Adults above Children
• Western culture above other cultures
• America above other countries
• Men above women
• Whites above non-whites
• Christians above non-Christians
• Straights above LGBT

This hierarchy illustrates how Republicans view morality. That is, the world must be ordered according to this hierarchy in order to be “moral.” Some readers may find it repugnant to refer to such a system as “moral,” but it is essential to understand that political ideology is rooted in vastly different views of morality.

By understanding this conservative hierarchy, you will understand the beliefs that bind conservatives together, and that unite all of their policies and ideas. Whenever you have a question about a conservative policy, consult the hierarchy and you will find the answer.

Freedom threatened

These stories make it clear that the GOP plans to violate the separation of church and state by installing a religious government if Trump gets re-elected. They are moving to impose key elements of the hierarchy — Christians above non-Christians, men over women, whites above non-whites, straights over LGBT — using the power of the federal government.

So far, these stories have received nowhere near the level of attention necessary to warn the American people about this stunning threat to freedom. A radical religious government — essentially, an American version of the Taliban — would represent an attack on the fundamental freedoms of tens of millions of Americans.

The GOP is openly drifting toward authoritarian religious fascism, and Americans must be alerted to the threat.

One step you can take: Forward these stories to any friends or family members who may not be aware of them.

The three recent key stories:

• “Trump allies plan to infuse ‘Christian Nationalism’ in second administration,” Alexander Ward and Heidi Przybala, Politico
• “Shocking online manifesto reveals Project 2025’s link to a coordinated Christian Nationalism project,” Jenny Cohn, Bucks County Beacon
• “Inside a secret society of prominent right-wing Christian men prepping for a national divorce,” Josh Kovensky, Talking Points Memo

(More to come on this subject from FrameLab)