Trump allies prepare to infuse 'Christian nationalism' in second administration - POLITICO
By: POLITICO
"These folks aren't as interested in democracy or working through democratic systems as in the old religious right because their theology is one of Christian warfare."
See companion article: https://thenewstalkers.com/trout-giggles/group_discuss/20044/maga-republican-pledges-end-of-democracy-to-rabid-cheers-at-cpac-the-new-republic
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Trump allies prepare to infuse 'Christian nationalism' in second administration
Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, president of The Center for Renewing America, part of a conservative consortium preparing for Trump's return to power.
Russell Vought is president of The Center for Renewing America think tank, a leading group in a conservative consortium preparing for a second Trump term.
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, according to documents obtained by POLITICO.
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. As the country has become less religious and more diverse, Vought has embraced the idea that Christians are under assault and has spoken of policies he might pursue in response.
One document drafted by CRA staff and fellows includes a list of top priorities for CRA in a second Trump term. "Christian nationalism" is one of the bullet points. Others 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.
CRA's work fits into a broader effort by conservative, MAGA-leaning organizations to influence a future Trump White House. Two people familiar with the plans, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal matters, said that Vought hopes his proximity and regular contact with the former president — he and Trump speak at least once a month, according to one of the people — will elevate Christian nationalism as a focal point in a second Trump term.
The documents obtained by POLITICO do not outline specific Christian nationalist policies. But Vought has promoted a restrictionist immigration agenda, saying a person's background doesn't define who can enter the U.S., but rather, citing Biblical teachings, whether that person "accept[ed] Israel's God, laws and understanding of history."
Vought has a close affiliation with Christian nationalist William Wolfe, a former Trump administration official who has advocated for overturning same-sex marriage, ending abortion and reducing access to contraceptives.
Vought, who declined to comment, is advising Project 2025, a governing agenda that would usher in one of the most conservative executive branches in modern American history. The effort is made up of a constellation of conservative groups run by Trump allies who've constructed a detailed plan to dismantle or overhaul key agencies in a second term. Among other principles, the project's "Mandate for Leadership" states that "freedom is defined by God, not man."
The Trump campaign has said repeatedly that it alone is responsible for assembling a policy platform and staffing for a future administration. In response to various news articles about how conservatives are preparing for a second Trump term, campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a memo late last year: "Despite our being crystal clear, some 'allies' haven't gotten the hint, and the media, in their anti-Trump zeal, has been all-too-willing to continue using anonymous sourcing and speculation about a second Trump administration in an effort to prevent a second Trump administration."
Trump's campaign declined to comment for this story.
Rachel Cauley, CRA's communication director, said "the so-called reporting from POLITICO in this story is false and we told them so on multiple occasions."
Trump is not a devout man of faith. But Christian Nationalists have been among his most reliable campaign activists and voting blocs. Trump formed a political alliance with evangelicals during his first run for office, delivered them a six to three conservative majority on the Supreme Court and is now espousing the Christian right's long-running argument that Christians are so severely persecuted that it necessitates a federal response.
In a December campaign speech in Iowa, he said "Marxists and fascists" are "going hard" against Catholics. "Upon taking office, I will create a new federal task force on fighting anti-Christian bias to be led by a fully reformed Department of Justice that's fair and equitable" and that will "investigate all forms of illegal discrimination."
On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, Trump promoted on his social media a video that suggests his campaign is, actually, a divine mission from God.
In 2019, Trump's then-secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, set up a federal commission to define human rights based on the precepts Vought describes, specifically "natural law and natural rights." Natural law is the belief that there are universal rules derived from God that can't be superseded by government or judges. While it is a core pillar of Catholicism, in recent decades it's been used to oppose abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and contraception.
Vought sees his and his organization's mission as "renew[ing] a consensus of America as a nation under God," per a statement on CRA's website, and reshaping the government's contract with the governed. Freedom of religion would remain a protected right, but Vought and his ideological brethren would not shy from using their administration positions to promote Christian doctrine and imbue public policy with it, according to both people familiar with the matter, granted anonymity to avoid retaliation. He makes clear reference to human rights being defined by God, not man.
America should be recognized as a Christian nation "where our rights and duties are understood to come from God," Vought wrote two years ago in Newsweek.
"It is a commitment to an institutional separation between church and state, but not the separation of Christianity from its influence on government and society," he continued, noting such a framework "can lead to beneficial outcomes for our own communities, as well as individuals of all faiths."
He went on to accuse detractors of Christian nationalism of invoking the term to try to scare people. "'Christian nationalism' is actually a rather benign and useful description for those who believe in both preserving our country's Judeo-Christian heritage and making public policy decisions that are best for this country," he wrote. "The term need not be subjected to such intense scorn due to misunderstanding or slander."
To ingratiate himself in conservative circles — and Christian conservative ones — Trump has often turned to operatives from them. Among those who helped was Vought.
As OMB director in the Trump administration, Vought became a disciple of the "America First" movement. He has been a steadfast proponent of keeping the U.S. out of foreign wars and slashing federal spending.
CRA is already wielding influence on Trump's positions. His thinking on withdrawing the U.S. from NATO and using military force against Mexican drug cartels is partly inspired by separate CRA papers, according to reports by Rolling Stone.
"Russell Vought did a fabulous job in my administration, and I have no doubt he will do a great job in continuing our quest to make America great again," reads a Trump quote prominently placed on CRA's website.
Trump will have a major platform to convey his vision for Christian policy in a second term when, on Feb. 22, he addresses a National Religious Broadcasters forum in Nashville. The group is the world's largest association of Christian communicators.
Trump is also talking about bringing his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, a vocal proponent of Christian nationalism, back into office. Flynn is currently focused on recruiting what he calls an "Army of God" — as he barnstorms the country promoting his vision of putting Christianity at the center of American life.
Vought's beliefs over time have been informed by his relationship with Wolfe. The two spent time together at Heritage Action, a conservative policy advocacy group. And Vought has praised their yearslong partnership. "I'm proud to work with @William_E_Wolfe on scoping out a sound Christian Nationalism," he posted on X, then Twitter, in January 2023.
Vought often echoes Wolfe's principles, including on immigration. "Jesus Christ wasn't an open-borders socialist," Wolfe wrote for The Daily Caller in April while a visiting CRA fellow. "The Bible unapologetically upholds the concept of sovereign nations."
While speaking in September at American Moment's " Theology of American Statecraft: The Christian Case for Immigration Restriction" on Capitol Hill in September, Vought defended the widely-criticized practice of family separation at the border during the Trump years, telling the audience "the decision to defend the rule of law necessitates the separation of families."
The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 offers more visibility into what policy agenda a future Trump administration might pursue. It says policies that support LGBTQ+ rights, subsidize "single-motherhood" and penalize marriage should be repealed because subjective notions of "gender identity" threaten "Americans' fundamental liberties."
It also proposes increasing surveillance of abortion and maternal mortality reporting in the states, compelling the Food and Drug Administration to revoke approval of "chemical abortion drugs" and protecting "religious and moral" objections for employers who decline contraception coverage for employees. One of the groups that partners with Project 2025, Turning Point USA, is among conservative influencers that health professionals have criticized for targeting young women with misleading health concerns about hormonal birth control. Another priority is defunding Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive health care to low-income women.
Wolfe, who has deleted several posts on X that detail his views, has a more extreme outlook of what a government led by Christian nationalists should propose. In a December post, he called for ending sex education in schools, surrogacy and no-fault divorce throughout the country, as well as forcing men "to provide for their children as soon as it's determined the child is theirs" — a clear incursion by the government into Americans' private lives.
"Christians should reject a Christ-less 'conservatism,'" he expanded in another X missive, "and demand the political movement we are most closely associated with make a return to Christ-centered foundations. Because it's either Christ or chaos, even on the 'Right.'"
Wolfe declined to comment.
The effort to imbue laws with biblical principles is already underway in some states. In Texas, Christian conservative supporters have pressured the legislature to require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom; targeted prohibitions on churches against direct policy advocacy and organized campaigns around "culture war" issues, including curbing LGBTQ+ rights, banning books and opposing gun safety laws.
"There's been a tectonic shift in how the leadership of the religious right operates," said Matthew Taylor, a scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies, who grew up evangelical. "These folks aren't as interested in democracy or working through democratic systems as in the old religious right because their theology is one of Christian warfare."
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vs.
"We the People..."
no worries. the methods of discouraging thumpers are centuries old and still proven to be very effective.
very traditional...
Tell me the differences between "defined by God" and "We the People"?
Tell me the differences between "defined by God" and "We the People"?
Well, this may be a stretch, but possible (maybe?) "God" is not the same as "The People"?"
Could that be true?
No one knows-- 'tis a mystery indeed!
I'll try to make it as simple as possible so hopefully you can understand. As you will see if you read the article, the theocrats' propaganda contention is:
They claim that their religion was the foundation of our government and, as I quoted in Comment 1, "not men".
However, the fundamental rights of American citizens, the legal basis for our freedoms, is the Constitution. If you read the preamble to the Constitution it is clear right from the opening words, "We the People", that our rights and duties were established by the agreement of the People acting through their duly-elected representatives. The Consitution does not mention God, and, furthermore, the establishment clause of the 1st Amendment states plainly "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".
While religion may play an important part in many peoples' lives, their God is not the source of our freedoms, rights and duties as American citizens.
in this country's history, patriotic americans have killed plenty of those that used religion to subvert the US constitution. it's unfortunate that xtain crusaders must repeatedly learn this lesson every few generations...
Gotta love those red hats !
no I don't...
Have never believed in mythology or superstition and likely never will. Worship is an alien concept to me. Not even Patrick Mahomes rates that high.
That was simple enough for me to understand
I wonder if those hats might be too tight
Odd's are and will be visible from a looooong way off !
they should try using staples...
or deck screws...
Thinking fathers should pay child support is "christian nationalism" now.
Also funny to see a "reporter" on CNN declare "christian nationalists" believe our rights come from God, not the government. Guess Ole Tommy Jefferson is a Christian nationalist now, which would have been news to him.
Why "now"?
What do you think has changed?
I never knew expecting fathers should pay for their children was a belief that marked one out as a christian nationalist. It's probably news to those who pushed for deadbeat dad laws and such too.
So a woman seduces me in a bar.
We have great consensual sex.
She becomes pregnant and decides to have a baby.
She proposes marriage and I say no.
She files a suit naming me father and wants money.
What is my obligation here?
Don’t you have to support the woman’s choice?
Pay up dad and try to keep it in your pants.
Seems not only asshole rapist men use roofies.
There are insane women on this planet as well!
Once was a woman who told me she was on birth control and then intentionally got pregnant after a one-night-stand.
She knew I had money and decided to fuck over my life for my money. She went to my parents and told them that we got married and wanted all of their money as well.
Thankfully a good PI found out she had pulled this scam before and wasn't really pregnant after all. She spent time in jail.
Even after all of that I still wanted her. She was hot!
groupies usually don't age that well...
I have no problem with requiring fathers to provide for their childrens' support.
I have a serious problem with the idea that defending the rule of law "necessiates the separation of families".
As for Thomas Jefferson, if these Christian nationalists actually knew about the tenets of his Deist beliefs they would consider him to be a Satanic heretic.
thumpers aren't the voting block they used to be. fuck them...
... figuratively I mean, they probably wouldn't have the time with all the church, pedophilia, adultery, incest and other family values bullshit going on in their lives...
When did that happen I'm sure that millions are shocked the Constitution means nothing it seems.
If this is true God screwed up since the US indulged in slavery and to be kind ''ethnic cleansing'' among many other undesirable traits.
I'm going with Gandhi on this. ''You're God is cool, but man those Christians need a lot of help.''
[✘]
If there actually was a god, I'd grab a phaser and shoot him dead for all of the evil shit he has allowed to happen on this planet.
If there is actually a god I'd punch his lights out for what he has done to us just for, apparently, the fun of it.
Well, that won't fly. And if it does spout wings and take off, . . . it won't land! And, if it somehow manages to land itself; it will be stowed in its shelter permanently.
Sounds like the Spruce Goose (Hughes hated that name).
And folk are still trying to figure out what the Quatrains of Nostradamus mean.
Funny how the “almighty” is too feckless and weak to ever do anything itself, so a group of comparatively primitive mortals must always do everything for it instead. It can somehow build a universe but can’t even tie its own shoe.
their god of micro management has delegated his local authority to the least mentally capable.
Funny how that works out.
Sub room temperature IQs know god the best.
I guess omnipotent just isn't what it used to be...
Interesting how an evil vengeful god from the old testament became a semi nice god in the new testament.
His PR guys decided to change his persona.
religious history revision...
Yes, Jesus did not judge, but was judged by his own people.
omnipotent god lets his son get nailed to a post for preaching socialism...
Men argued the Divinity of Christ for hundreds of years before a dozen of them got drunk in 5th century at the Council of Ephesus. To stop the arguing they agreed they were all right and Jesus was both man and God.
I have discovered that their "god (no name)" is a sadistic, narcissistic piece of shit. Not worthy of my time, much less my worship. If "he" were a human being who would want to spend any time with him???
can you think of any torturous hell worse than evangelical heaven?
I wouldn't like to be there.
nobody that's sane would...
Kinda sounds like a guy named Trump.
He does claim to be god.
Only an extreme narcissist would do that.
So you chose something else to worship instead?
Why worship anything? Why "belong" to any cult?
I Grok a blade of grass or a slide under a microscope.
Camping out and grooving with nature is my church.
But I am one who has never needed others around me.
I just have a sick need to write for others to read.
Especially if we all had to stand around pretending to be holier than everybody else (Much like Earth).
I am Wiccan. I really do not worship anything. I pay homage to nature and honor it. I follow the Wiccan Rede - An ye harm none, do what ye will - and the Power of three - that which ye do, good or bad, comes back to ye threefold.
I do not belong to a cult in any shape, form or fashion. I do my thing as I see fit and revel in the joys of life.
But then again - I shouldn't have to explain any of this to some one as "open minded" as yourself.
It's not like it's a secret. Wicca honors not worships. I've been on a Crone, Mother and Maid bend of mind for awhile. I don't know what that means either.
Don't recall ever claiming to be open minded.
How about we settle for polite.... I don't think I have insulted you in any way - it would be nice if you extend me the same courtesy. If not - leave me the fuck alone.
What would Muslim Jesus do? Demand a nation state for Palestine?
According to Biden's cohorts, nationalism is an imperative for others around the world that demands unflinching support and sacrifice by Americans. But God forbid Americans make any attempt to gather in national unity. Liberals will celebrate Palestinian nationalism before allowing any mention of our own.
Politico found no evidence of Christian Nationalism. So, Politico is simply going to make up a story so liberals can rant against Christianity and the United States. But what would Muslim Jesus do?
All religion is simply a pack of lies told over and over.
Unfortunately, even our Dem presidential candidates profess in believing those lies over and over.
Politicians can't afford to alienate potential voters.
It's the hard-core true fascists who worry me.
It's the hard-core compulsive liars who worry me.
It's the brain-dead believers who worry me.
Trump and his low IQ brain-dead cult really worry me.
You forgot the fascists.
I never forget the fascists.
The wide-eyed fascists are why I'm always armed.
See 6.1.2
Good thinking, you never know when you might have an opportunity to shoot one.
Hate to miss an opportunity to shoot an enemy of my country. At 70 so seldom get a chance anymore.
Wear a Rolex so wouldn't mind shooting a watch thief either just to save others the trouble.
Thieves, rapists, fascists, insurrectionists, bullies. So many targets, so much ammo and so little time.
Exactly, keep the grip steady and on target. You’re never too old to kill.
Have yet to take advantage of the many opportunities presented to me, but there's always tomorrow.
Don’t wait to long, none of us knows how much time we have left.
That would be too long.
It's no fun winning arguments if you can't spell.
Sorry to spoil your fun.
Trashing far right wingers will never lose its allure.
that could be a prophetic statement on 11/6/24...
LOL
the thumpers are getting ready to turn violent...
Mohammed is the Muslim equivalent of Jesus . He would say, as Jesus said, "Do not forgive them Father, for they know what they do".
That is incorrect. (And some Muslims would consider the claim blasphemous.) Muslims recognize Jesus of Nazareth as fulfilling messianic prophecy. Although it may not be a universal belief in Islam, Muslims accept that Jesus was the son of God. Muslims even believe that Jesus was crucified, was resurrected (again not universal), and ascended to 'heaven' (a universal belief). Muslims do not accept Jesus as Christ (a manifestation of God on earth). Muslim Jesus was a human prophet, possibly the son of God, that fulfilled prophecy but remained human after death. Mohammed was a prophet that came after Jesus and, importantly, did not replace Jesus. .
So, a viable question is what would Muslim Jesus do?
No, they absolutely do NOT. In Islam, Jesus is recognized as a prophet. A mere human.
Emphatically. Muslims, to my acknowledge, consider it blasphemous to state that God has a son. Nor do they believe in Holy Spirit. Leading to belief in a Trinity, which they do not believe is real. And one can see why this is so: To believe in either one or several of these would "mandate" Muslims to leave Islam and seek out Christianity.
These idiots are fooling themselves. There are not enough of them to control the pissed off masses were they to try their brand of Authoritarianism.
They are very vocal but very outnumbered by sane folk.
If we ALL vote, MAGA will go away.
No, they won't go away, but those that fund them will move on to better things.
Much like when they moved away from the "tea party".
the tea party is the sludge in the bottom of the maga barrel...
the hairball that holds the maga turd together...