Christian Nationalism Isn’t Coming—It’s Here

As Senate confirmation hearings start, the Trump administration is clear they plan to decimate the wall that separates religion and state—we cannot let that happen

Imagine this. A Secretary of Defense who screams “Kill all Muslims!” Or a counter-terrorism director who believes “converting to Islam is suspicious.” Or a House Speaker who fabricates prayers to make it seem like the Founding Fathers wanted a theocracy. Now for the scary part. None of this is hypothetical, nor is it a mere warning of what’s to come—this Christian nationalism is already here, and it’s taken center stage in American domestic and foreign policy. Let’s Address This.

Speaker Mike Johnson, Sebastian Gorka, Pete Hegseth

A House Speaker Who Holds the Bible Above the Constitution

Let’s start with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who began a recent House session with a fabricated prayer to Jesus Christ that he falsely claimed Thomas Jefferson recited every day during his presidency. Jefferson did no such thing. The first record of that prayer existing is from 1919—over a century after Jefferson left office.

But Johnson’s goal wasn’t historical accuracy; it was advancing his Christian nationalist agenda. And while he misrepresents Jefferson’s faith, he wholly ignores what Jefferson actually did do. Thomas Jefferson:

• Literally re-wrote his own Bible.

• Vociferously advocated for the separation of church and state.

• Hosted the first White House Iftar during Ramadan.

• Owned a Qur’an and respected the religious pluralism of America.

• Contemplated Muslims into his Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom.

Of course, Johnson won’t mention these facts, because they don’t fit his vision of an America governed by Christian theocracy. Johnson also won’t mention that Jefferson was an enslaver, and raped and impregnated Sally Hemings, an Black enslaved child. I suppose it is difficult for Johnson to acknowledge, much less condemn, this fact, given he voted for Donald Trump, a civil court adjudicated rapist himself. But given that Johnson is House Speaker, yet believes the Bible supersedes the US Constitution, it’s hard to tell what he actually believes? And while he’s perfectly entitled to his personal opinion, in a secular government, the person second in line to be the President shouldn’t be so willing to undermine the US Constitution he is sworn to uphold as the supreme law of the land.

And sadly, the threat of Christian nationalism goes far beyond Johnson’s theatrics. It’s embedded in the very fabric of MAGA politics.

A Counter-Terrorism Director Who Thinks Islam Is Suspicious

Let’s talk about Sebastian Gorka, who Trump appointed as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counter-Terrorism. This is a problem for many reasons. First, Gorka is a man with a documented history of Nazi fraternizing and con artistry, yet he landed a high-level position in the White House with immense power.

Likewise, last week Gorka was on television advising Americans to report “suspicious behavior”—such as “converting to Islam.” Yes, the man in charge of counter-terrorism believes that practicing a constitutionally protected religion is inherently suspicious.

Finally, his Nazi affiliations and Islamophobic rhetoric notwithstanding, Hungary has issued arrest warrants for Gorka due to illegal weapons and ammunition charges. And given that the role of senior director for counter-terrorism does not require Senate confirmation, it is mortifying that this man will have the direct ear of Donald Trump.

This is the kind of rhetoric that fuels hate crimes and discrimination. It’s the kind of rhetoric that emboldens the state to target marginalized communities in the name of security. And it’s a stark reminder that MAGA isn’t about law and order—it’s about white supremacy disguised as Christian nationalism. This is a fact further emphasized by Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense.

A Secretary of Defense Who Wants a Christian Military

Enter Pete Hegseth, who Trump is considering for Secretary of Defense. Here’s what to keep in mind during Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearings. Hegseth has openly declared “Kill all Muslims!” according to eye witness testimony. He wears tattoos with Nazi and white supremacy affiliations. He sees himself as a modern-day crusader who wants to turn the military into a Christian weapon, according to his recent books.

And what makes Hegseth even more alarming is the theology that influences him. He recently moved his family to Tennessee to join a congregation led by Doug Wilson, a right-wing theologian who has some horrifying beliefs.

As Politico reports:

“Wilson’s denomination opposes religious pluralism and embraces the idea of a nation founded on the premise that Jesus Christ is the ‘lord of all.’ He has written that owning slaves in biblical times was not antithetical to being a Christian and, while he says he rejects racism, he has asserted that ‘the system of slave-holding in the South was far more humane than that of ancient Rome, although it still fell short of the biblical requirements for it.’”

Think about that. The next potential Secretary of Defense is a man influenced by a pastor who defends slavery as “humane” and rejects religious pluralism.

This isn’t a fringe ideology. It’s becoming mainstream in Republican politics. And all this is before we even get to Hegseth’s drinking problem. It is terrifying to think that someone with these dangerous beliefs and destructive behaviors might soon oversee the world’s most powerful military, including thousands of nuclear weapons.

Christian Nationalism Is the Road to Fascism

And to be explicitly clear, I distinguish Christian nationalism (i.e. the idea that Christianity should be the state religion of our nation) from Christianity as a religion, which is practiced peacefully and personally by countless Americans. The former is a threat to our Republic, the latter is a constitutionally protected religion in our Republic. We best protect the latter by strenuously opposing the former.

Meanwhile, Christian nationalism is spreading rapidly. We’re seeing it in policies across the country—like states such as Louisiana mandating the display of the 10 Commandments in every public school, college, and university.

We’re seeing its fusion with violence, as a new horrifying ProPublic report documents, with white supremacist militia groups secretly training nationwide.

And we’re seeing it in the normalization of violent rhetoric from officials like Hegseth and Gorka, who view non-Christian faiths as existential threats to be destroyed, and Johnson, who seems to think the Constitution is subservient to the Bible.

Given all this, one could reasonably argue that fascism isn’t headed to America—it’s already here. And that’s the scariest part of all.

What Do We Do Now?

It’s critical that we recognize Christian nationalism for what it is: a dangerous ideology that seeks to dismantle democracy and impose a theocratic rule. This isn’t about religion. It’s about power, control, and using faith as a weapon to justify oppression.

If we want to resist this wave of Christian nationalism and fight for a pluralistic, democratic America, we need to stay informed, speak out, and hold those in power accountable. Corporate media won’t sound the alarm. They’ll whitewash the lies, downplay the extremism, and treat these figures as if they’re just another part of the political landscape. That’s why independent voices are more important than ever.

Voices willing to acknowledge that despite the many, many, flaws of America’s Founding Fathers, they were resolute in separation of religion and state. That is one principle we must continue to demand, protect, and uphold at all costs. The future of our republic depends on it.