Donald Trump Allies Set the Stage for Christian Media Members
NRB president Miller, Salem Radio Network’s talk show host Hugh Hewitt, and The Heritage Foundation’s president Kevin Roberts all addressed the crowd prior to Trump. No red MAGA hats appeared to be in the audience of Christian communicators, but nearly indistinguishable red and white “Make Prayer Great Again” hats were in healthy supply courtesy of Pray.com.
Leading up to Trump’s speech, Hewitt noted that the former President is unpredictable. “But no matter what he says,” Hewitt said, “it will be animated by a deep, deep love for America and the Constitution.”
It’s worth noting that in December of 2022, Trump called for parts of the US Constitution to be “terminated” during his perpetuation of the lie that the 2020 election had been stolen. At the time, Trump posted on Truth Social: “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”
None of the speakers addressed the dozens of indictments and various judgments Trump is facing in relation to the Georgia election-tampering criminal probe, Jan. 6 and the U.S. Capitol attack, illegal retention of classified documents, New York ‘hush money’ criminal case, sexual abuse and defamation civil lawsuits, or the New York Attorney General civil lawsuit for fraudulent real estate practices.
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Hewitt Decries Then Recasts ‘Christian Nationalism’ Label
Hewitt made two points. One, he said, “When you ask yourself about the Trump years, he delivered.” Hewitt, who is also a law professor, added that “religious liberty has never been as safe” as it is now due to Trump’s appointing three conservative Supreme Court Justices during his administration. Hewitt said evangelicals need more Justices on the SCOTUS, so they “need another President who is committed to religious liberty.”
His second point was that “the secular absolutists have developed a new term. It’s called ‘Christian Nationalism.’”
Christian nationalism refers to the claim that Christianity is the foundation of national identity and values, and that the nation-state should be based on religious principles. It has historically been associated with the rise of the far right and has been criticized for promoting division and exclusion. It is a phrase that has been in use since World War II and has recently been claimed by politicians such as congresswoman and close Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene.