Many Christians Reject the Trump Administration’s Mixing of Faith and Politics

It has been a turbulent month for American Christians who do not equate their faith with fervent devotion to President Donald Trump.

Many believers watched a president who poses as a defender of religion tarnish some of Christianity’s holiest days by invoking God while issuing profane threats of extreme violence and the possible destruction of an entire nation. He further provoked Christians across denominations by sharing an AI-generated image that depicted him in a Christ-like pose — surrounded by adoring followers and performing a miraculous healing — and by responding to the pope’s peace appeals with a public insult.

At the same time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has described himself in martial terms, framed potential U.S. action against Iran as a “holy” conflict to be waged with “overwhelming violence,” and urged Americans to pray for victory “in the name of Christ.”

Reports suggest these instances are part of a larger pattern. Wired reported that the administration has used government resources to push religious messaging to civil servants. As one Health and Human Services employee put it, “There exists a clear throughline of transgressive delight in violating the separation of church and state,” a mindset that, the employee added, aligns with political decisions to reduce services for people agencies are meant to serve.

Those concerned about religious freedom point to other worrying developments. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, chair of what the administration calls a “religious liberty commission,” has denounced the separation of church and state as “the biggest lie that’s been told in America since our founding.” Meanwhile, the administration has teamed up with right-wing Christian nationalist groups to plan a May 17 event on the National Mall intended to “rededicate” the nation to God.

Judicial rulings have also raised concern. Trump-appointed judges recently approved a Texas law that requires every public school classroom to display a legislature-approved version of the Ten Commandments — a text that begins, “I AM the LORD thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Judges who upheld the law argued that the displays are not coercive to students of other faiths and do not undermine parents’ rights, claims critics say are legally and practically dubious.

The politicization of Christianity is not new, but many Christians have grown weary of seeing their faith appropriated to justify exclusionary or punitive policies. In that context, figures like James Talarico — a seminarian and Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate — have received support from believers who want to ground public policy in inclusive, compassionate religious principles rather than in a partisan, nationalistic theology.

Instead of engaging his ideas, some religious-right leaders have attacked Talarico’s faith — revealing a pattern of claiming “religious persecution” when challenged while displaying intolerance toward dissenting religious perspectives. President Trump has even accused Talarico of insulting Jesus, an extraordinary charge from a president who frequently invokes the gospel while advancing policies critics describe as cruel or corrupt.

Svante Myrick is president of People For the American Way.