Trump’s Plans to Give Power to Christian Nationalists

Project 2025, the outline to consolidate governmental powers in the hands of Christian Nationalists, is no longer a threat. It’s a reality. Trump and his associates have begun the process to put its goals into effect. At the National Prayer Breakfast on February 6, Trump proposed his plans to ” bring religion back—stronger, bigger, better than ever before.”

Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, is a self-proclaimed Christian Nationalist and one of the many architects of Project 2025. In his position as lead of OMB, he has already directed funding freezes to Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and other federally funded programs for low-income Americans. Vought and his peers hope Trump will impose the Insurrection Act to quell protests and dissent of the Administration.

Trump’s next steps include creating a Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty, although this does not seem to be in effect as of right now. This commission would respond to the Biden Administration’s alleged persecution of believers and anti-abortion advocates, according to Reuters. However, Trump’s only evidence of such persecution was a woman who broke into and blockaded a D.C. abortion clinic.

Trump followed the Prayer Breakfast by signing an executive order aiming to eradicate “anti-Christian bias.” The order says, without reference or evidence, that Christians were forced “to affirm radical transgender ideology against their faith.” It also condemned the Biden Administration’s declaration that March 31 would be Transgender Day of Visibility, which coincidentally landed on Easter Sunday. Moving forward, however, it is unclear how the executive order will target the queer community.

Furthermore, Trump says he will also create the Faith Office in the White House, which allegedly would be led by televangelist Rev. Paula White. He had a similar office during his first term. According to LGBTQNation, White is associated with a movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation. This group claims God has guided them to fight for the spiritual control of the United States.