In a fervent appeal to Christian voters, former President Donald Trump cast the 2024 election as a battle for religious freedom during a faith leaders meeting in North Carolina on Monday. Warning that a Harris administration would restrict religious liberties, Trump positioned himself as the protector of the Christian faith, reflecting on his recent brush with an assassination attempt as a sign of divine purpose.
Spiritual Warfare and the Fate of the Nation
The event, billed as an “11th-hour faith leaders meeting,” featured a lineup of conservative pastors who framed the upcoming election in apocalyptic terms. Guillermo Maldonado, a longtime Trump ally and self-proclaimed “apostle,” declared that the country was engaged in a “spiritual warfare” that transcended left and right, a battle between good and evil.
“There’s a big fight right now that is affecting our country and we need to take back our country,” Maldonado warned the crowd, alluding to the Christian nationalist belief that the United States must return to its divine destiny as a Christian nation.
Trump Claims Divine Intervention
Introduced by Ben Carson, his campaign’s National Faith Chairman, Trump spoke at length about the July 13 assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In a meandering speech, the former president suggested that God had intervened to save his life for a greater purpose.
My faith took on new meaning on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, where I was knocked to the ground, essentially by what seemed like a supernatural hand. And I would like to think that God saved me for a purpose, and that’s to make our country greater than ever before.
Donald Trump
Trump’s son Eric, who co-hosted the event, echoed this sentiment on a podcast earlier in the day, assuring listeners that “there is a hand of God on my father’s shoulder” and that an angel had intervened to thwart the would-be assassin.
Promising to Champion Religious Liberty
Urging Christians to turn out to vote, Trump vowed to roll back the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits non-profits, including churches, from endorsing political candidates. He also touted his controversial decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a city with deep religious significance for Christians who believe it will be the site of end-times prophecies.
The former president further pledged to “take historic action to defeat the toxic poison of gender ideology,” reaffirming his stance that God created only two genders.
Ties to Controversial Christian Figures
Monday’s faith leaders summit featured several prominent figures from the New Apostolic Reformation, a growing movement on the Christian right that embraces modern-day prophets and apostles and seeks to establish Christian dominion over all aspects of society. Clay Clark, co-founder of the pro-Trump ReAwaken America tour that blends Christian nationalism with conspiracy theories, was credited as a driving force behind the North Carolina event.
While Trump’s open association with such controversial voices may energize his base, some political analysts caution that it could alienate more moderate voters. As the 2024 campaign heats up, the former president’s ability to balance the demands of his most fervent supporters with the need to appeal to a broader electorate will be put to the test.
