Former President Donald Trump promised to use a second term in the White House to defend Christian values and even suggested he’d shield the faith’s central iconography. He even warned a convention of religious broadcasters on Thursday night that the left wants “to tear down crosses.”
“Remember, every communist regime throughout history has tried to stamp out the churches, just like every fascist regime has tried to co-opt them and control them,” Trump told hundreds of cheering attendees at the National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention in Nashville. “And, in America, the radical left is trying to do both.”
“They want to tear down crosses where they can, and cover them up with social justice flags,” Trump added. “But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration, I swear to you.”
Trump's statements reveal his alignment with Christian nationalism, a conviction prevalent among conservative evangelicals who argue that the U.S. founders envisioned the nation as inherently Christian. Some adherents assert that the U.S. Constitution is divinely inspired, advocating for the declaration of the U.S. as a Christian nation. Some propose endorsing Christian values or challenging the separation of church and state in federal governance.
Trump is favoured in a Republican primary where the once crowded field has dwindled to just him and his former ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley.
The Christian media gathering, where sponsors distributed free red and white baseball caps emblazoned with “Make America Pray Again,” was exceedingly friendly territory for the former president, whose address often felt more like a rally than a staid convention speech.
“The left is trying to shame Christians,” Trump said. “They’re trying to shame us. I’m a very proud Christian.”
Trump received enthusiastic applause from the audience as he repeatedly highlighted his achievements, particularly his stance on abortion. He emphasized his role in appointing three conservative Supreme Court justices who played a pivotal role in overturning the Roe v. Wade decision.
Notably absent from his address was any mention of the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling, leading providers to suspend in vitro fertilization due to the court's decision that categorized frozen embryos as children under state law.
Initially met with hesitation by some religious leaders due to his multiple divorces, Trump has now solidified his support among the staunchly loyal "Make America Great Again" base within the religious community.
This backing persists despite Trump's increasingly controversial personal history, including recent legal challenges such as his indictment in New York related to hush money payments made to a porn actress in an effort to conceal an extramarital affair.
“When he came onto the scene, people were sceptical,” said Troy Miller, president and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters. “But I think, as they’ve learned more and listened to Donald Trump speak, the one thing I hear all the time from people... is that they really feel like Donald Trump understands them and that’s the biggest connection that people make is, ‘This is a guy in politics who gets us, who understands us, who doesn’t talk like he’s an elitist and talk down to us.’”
