FALSE PROPHET

Donald Trump served as the 45th President of the United States and is currently seeking re-election after losing in 2020. Trump weaponizes Christianity to seize power for himself, as he demonstrates every time he and his supporters frame the election as a Holy War, portraying himself as Christ and his political opponents as God’s opponents. 

As president, he infamously teargassed peaceful protesters in order to use the Bible as a prop outside an unwilling church in Washington, D.C. His use of religious symbolism is seemingly insincere: Trump openly questions the faith of those who criticize him, mocks pastors who support him behind their backs, and even brags that he ignores the lessons Jesus taught about asking for forgiveness and loving one's enemies.

He also holds the historic distinction of being the first former president to be convicted of a crime, after being found guilty on 34 felony fraud charges in New York state. He is also currently under indictment on an additional 14 state and federal charges related to his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election. Trump was indicted on 40 charges related to mishandling classified documents; however, that case is on appeal after the Trump-appointed judge dismissed the charges. During each phase of these criminal and civil proceedings, Trump and his followers repeatedly compared the ex-president to Jesus, claiming political persecution.

Following the 2024 attempted assassination of Trump, the ex-president and his supporters claimed divine intervention, doubling down on harmful theology that risks inciting further political violence.