The Growing Strength of the Christian Nationalism in Politics

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 25 February 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to root out anti-Christian bias and embrace his “beautiful Christians.” A particular form of Christianity – Christian Nationalism – is informing the Trump coalition. Trump has appointed avowed Christian nationalists like head of OMB Russell Vought and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has said the country is in a “spiritual battle.” In a podcast, Hegseth said, “Our American Crusade is not about literal swords, and our fight is not with guns. Yet.” We talk with experts about the agenda and influence of the Christian nationalist movement. Guests: Sarah McCammon, National Political Correspondent for NPR and co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast, McCammon is the author of "The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church" Katherine Stewart, journalist and author, Stewart is the author of "Money, Lies and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy" and "Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:44.6	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
1:01.0	There are a lot of different right-wing forces swirling around Donald Trump in his second term.
1:07.2	Elon Musk's tech-inflicted Doge camp, the Steve Bannon original Maga people, a variety of ultra-wealthy conservatives, and then a group of Christian nationalists, a political movement that sees itself as engaged in a, quote, spiritual battle for the nation.
1:25.2	As defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, put it in a podcast, quote,
1:28.9	our American crusade is not about literal swords and our fight is not with guns yet. We talk
1:35.3	with experts about the agenda and influence of Christian nationalists coming up next right after this
1:40.2	news.
1:53.9	We've got a little fundraising period going on at the station right now, so you get a little bonus on the pledge-free stream podcast or on our replay at night.
1:58.7	I'm writing these little mini essays.
2:00.7	We're calling the series one good thing.
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