Christian Nationalism and Trump: A Dangerous Fusion of Religion and Power

When Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, it marked more than a political comeback—it signaled the ascendancy of a movement that has long sought to intertwine Christianity with American governance: Christian nationalism. This ideology, which merges religious identity with national identity, now stands as a central force in Trump’s political resurgence, influencing policy decisions and reshaping the nation’s democratic norms.

What Is Christian Nationalism?

Christian nationalism is the belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and must be governed by “biblical principles.” It conflates being American with being Christian and views political opponents not merely as rivals, but as enemies of God’s will. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Christian nationalism seeks to merge Christian identity with national identity, arguing that the nation should be governed by Christian values and laws.

The Rise of Christian Nationalism Under Trump

Trump’s 2024 campaign leaned heavily into Christian nationalist rhetoric, framing his reelection as a “battle between good and evil.” He openly courted organizations like Project 2025, a coalition of conservative Christian groups planning for sweeping executive actions designed to dismantle secular institutions and entrench Christian dominance in public life. One Project 2025 policy blueprint advocates eliminating the Department of Education, replacing public schooling with vouchers for Christian private schools, and rolling back federal civil rights protections under the banner of “religious liberty.” The Trump administration has also supported efforts to officially declare America a “Christian nation”, a move that would fundamentally alter the nation’s constitutional structure.

Policy Changes Reflecting Christian Nationalist Goals

Since taking office in January 2025, Trump’s administration has aggressively pursued policies aligned with Christian nationalist ideals:

• Education: Trump’s Department of Education nominee, Linda McMahon, has vowed to dismantle the federal education system and return control to states and local communities. In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of Education to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to state and local communities.
• LGBTQ+ Rights: In the name of religious freedom, the administration has expanded the rights of businesses and healthcare providers to deny services to LGBTQ+ individuals, citing “sincerely held beliefs.” This has sparked ongoing debates and legal battles over the balance between religious freedom and anti-discrimination protections.
• Immigration: New immigration policies prioritize Christian applicants.. For instance, the Trump administration is considering exempting Christian Afghan refugees from deportation, a move that may favor Christian applicants over others
• Judiciary: Trump continues appointing judges closely affiliated with Christian legal organizations such as Alliance Defending Freedom, a group the Southern Poverty Law Center labels as extremist.

The Intersection of Christian Nationalism and Authoritarianism

Scholars and commentators have extensively analyzed the rise of Christian nationalism within American politics, particularly its alignment with authoritarian movements. Research indicates a strong correlation between support for Christian nationalism and authoritarian views, suggesting that individuals who embrace this ideology are more likely to support authoritarian measures to ensure their perceived rightful place atop the national hierarchy. According to a study by the Public Religion Research Institute, strong majorities of Christian nationalism adherents and sympathizers score high on both authoritarianism scales, more than double the rates of skeptics and rejecters.

This alignment suggests that Christian nationalism is not merely a religious stance but a political ideology that seeks to reshape American governance to reflect a particular religious worldview, often at the expense of democratic principles and the separation of church and state.

Democracy at Risk

Critics argue that the growing alignment between authoritarianism authoritarianism and religious nationalism poses a significant challenge to the foundations of American democracy. As authoritarian regimes around the world demonstrate, when leaders claim divine backing, political opposition becomes not just illegitimate, but heretical — inviting not debate, but suppression.

In Trump’s America, the separation between political loyalty and religious obedience is vanishing fast. And if history is any guide, once the wall between church and state falls, democracy itself may not be far behind.