In his latest spectacle — ahem, speech — Donald Trump once again proved he’s the master of saying the quiet part out loud, and it’s not even his lack of scriptural savvy that’s the headline here.
While addressing the religious conservatives in Florida, the wannabe dictator not only confirmed that he’s about as Christian as a snake oil salesman but also dropped a bombshell that should send shivers down the spine of anyone who values democracy.
“I love you, Christians. I’m not a Christian. I love you, you got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote,” Trump declared. Freudian slip or not, Trump’s admission that he’s not a Christian was perhaps the most candid he’s ever been. This is a man who couldn’t even recall a single Bible verse when put on the spot, and who once referred to Second Corinthians as “Two Corinthians.” His relationship with God seems to be purely transactional, as evidenced by his shameless attempts to hawk signed copies of the Bible for $59.99.
The Bible itself warns of false prophets, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better candidate for that title than a guy who uses the Good Book as a prop to bolster his evangelical street cred while struggling to quote a single verse from it.
The truly alarming part isn’t just his self-proclaimed pseudo-salvation
In his speech, Trump literally said that if Christians vote him into office, they’ll never need to vote again. Let that sink in for a moment. The man who has repeatedly tried to undermine the democratic process, who incited a violent insurrection at the Capitol, and who has openly admired dictators like Vladimir Putin, is now suggesting that he’ll make sure elections become a thing of the past. Of course, Trump’s supporters will likely try to spin this as just another example of his “telling it like it is” style. But to the rest, that’s a flashing red warning sign for authoritarianism.
The Twitterverse exploded with outrage and disbelief following Trump’s alarming comments. One user, clearly appalled by Trump’s suggestion, warned of the future Trump would bring in if elected.
This sentiment was echoed by many others who recognized the dangerous implications of Trump’s words.
Even those who may have previously been on the fence about supporting him are now reconsidering their stance.
The deeper trouble at play here is indeed the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a nightmarish vision that aims to install a conservative leader and completely transform America into a white nationalist, Gilead-like state. The proposal, which runs at nearly a thousand pages, argues for a complete overhaul of American society. Project 2025 seeks to restore the traditional family unit as the be-all and end-all of American life, dismantle the government until it’s nothing more than a hollow shell, and shove religion so far into public life that you can’t swing a cat without hitting a prayer circle.
The rights of women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals would be severely curtailed, if not outright eliminated. And who do Trump’s cronies see as the perfect figurehead for this totalitarian regime? Why, none other than the Orange Menace himself! His inner circle — figures like Mark Meadows, Stephen Miller, and others who’ve walked the corridors of power alongside him — are the very architects of this project. Even Trump’s campaign spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, has promoted Project 2025.
If Trump manages to slither his way back into the White House in 2024, that’s a future that should terrify anyone who doesn’t think The Handmaid’s Tale was an instruction manual.