Prominent US evangelist Rev Franklin Graham has said the Democratic party is "opposed to faith" and warned that any shift towards left-wing policy could see "the church closed down in many places."

In a wide-ranging interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), the preacher claimed the Democrats have become a "socialist party" and would be bad news for Christianity in America, despite presidential candidate Joe Biden being a self-professed Catholic. 

"The changes that the left want to make in taking us into socialism is going to affect the church," Graham explained. "The Government will begin to tell the church how they can be the church, and they'll close the church down in many places." 

Rev Graham said he believed that God had appointed President Trump "for this season."

"I'm just asking that God would spare this country for another four years to give us a little bit more time to do the work before the storm hits," he added. "I believe the storm is coming." 

Expanding on this so-called storm, Graham said it would entail "Christians [being] attacked", "churches closed" and a "hatred expressed towards people of faith."

"That's coming," he warned. "Jesus told us, 'you will be hated by all people because of me'. If we're going to stand for the name of Christ, the world will hate us." 

Graham argued that President Trump was defending "western civilisation as we've known it."

Rev Graham's unwavering affinity with President Trump has sparked a petition calling for his removal as the head of international relief organisation Samaritan's Purse. 

"Graham justifies his partisanship and hatred by hiding behind the credibility of Samaritan's Purse...If the directors of Samaritan's Purse care about their credibility - and if they truly believe in their 'purpose of sharing God's love' - then Graham's hateful support for Trump should show them that it's time to find a new chairman and CEO," the petition reads. 

The petition currently has just over 13,000 signatures.