MAGA hat sitting on top of a bible.

 Grace Loveday 

There have been many popular presidents in the US who have cemented their place in the American people’s hearts – Lincoln, JFK, F. D. Roosevelt. However, Donald Trump may have done something no US President has done before: become a godly figure to his supporters. 

Given the almost cultish devotion Donald Trump enjoys from MAGA supporters, Trump has transformed from President to Messiah in the eyes of his supporters.

For example, ‘Presidents’ Day’ is a federal holiday held on the third Monday in February that collectively honours all US Presidents. However, some Republicans believe that Trump deserves special recognition, with one congresswoman proposing Trump’s birthday become a federal holiday to celebrate “the founder of America’s Golden Age.” 

But, most notable, is the US government’s declaration that Trump will bring a Golden Age to America. This, of course, has religious connotations. In the Bible, the Golden Age is meant to happen when Jesus returns to Earth. In a way, then, Trump is almost being compared to God by his supporters, highlighting how religion has become politicised in America.

How Does MAGA View Trump? 

MAGA supporters’ allegiance to Trump has been unwavering for years. Yet, recently, their love seems to have grown, and supporters have now converted into disciples.  

Christians have always been fans of Trump and his conservative stance on issues. T-shirts declaring “Jesus is my Saviour, Trump is my President” and “Make America Godly Again” are commonplace among MAGA supporters.

The statistics also reflect this conviction. In 2016, Trump won 77 per cent of the evangelical vote, and by 2020, he had the support of 8 out of every 10 white evangelical Christians. By 2024, a total of 85 per cent of evangelicals cast their vote in favour of Trump, with one post-election survey finding that one in four voters believed that “God ordained Donald Trump to be the winner of the 2024 presidential election.”

Trump has seemingly reached a new level: sainthood. 

“The people Trump surrounds himself with suggests he believes that God chose him to save America.”

This belief even extends to government officials. In a recent prayer meeting led by the Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, Christian Nationalist pastor Brooks Potteiger declared that Trump was anointed by God to lead the country and “provide moral clarity.”

Holding prayer meetings in the Pentagon certainly proves how Trump’s image has become so entangled with God that he’s almost revered as a saint, or even a prophet.

But What Do Democrats Think?  

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats view Donald Trump as the symbol of everything wrong with America. Whether this is accurate or not, the Democrats’ treatment of Trump reveals his unparalleled influence.

Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign implored the American public to vote for her on the premise that it would prevent Trump from reaching the Oval Office. Throughout the fight for the presidency, Harris referred to Trump as “unhinged” and a “fascist”.

Ultimately, her campaign focused not on why she would make a good president but why Trump would not. While all presidential candidates hold incentive to highlight their opponent’s flaws, Harris focused on instilling a perception of Trump’s unparalleled influence over America.

Despite not idolising him as godly, it’s clear the Democrats view Trump as holding extraordinary power in the US.   

Trump’s Religious Connotation Amongst Democrats

Trump’s election to the White House fundamentally changed US politics, as instead of being about policy and competence, it’s now a battle of who can talk the loudest.

As the Republican party transformed into a cult centered around Trump, it’s clear why Democrats view him as a dangerously powerful, even ‘anti-Christ’ figure.

“Despite not idolising him as godly, it’s clear that Democrats view Trump as holding extraordinary power in the US.”

This ‘anti-Christ’ perception has only grown in his second term as Trump put a $288 million price tag on access to the White House. By giving billionaires access to government spending and even buying a Tesla to delay his inevitable breakup with Elon Musk, Trump effectively sold the integrity and power of the White House.

Furthermore, Trump’s ability to run for and win the highest US political office despite being a convicted felon illustrates his power. His fear-instilling tactics of deporting people convicted of no crime to El Salvador only bolsters the Democrats’ image of him as ‘ungodly’.   

Trump Secures The Greatest Licensing Deal Of All: Branding Religion

Despite being unable to name a single Bible verse in his first election campaign, Trump has apparently embraced religion.   

For one of his first acts as the 47th US President, Trump created the White House Faith Office and appointed his longtime spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, who remarked that saying no to Trump “would be saying no to God.” The people Trump surrounds himself with suggest he now believes that God chose him to save America.

Additionally, after surviving an assassination attempt in 2024, Trump declared that he was “saved by God to make America great again.” The assassination plot served as the perfect tool to cement Trump as a martyr, or at least a saviour-type figure in the eyes of MAGA followers.   

“Many are even actively encouraging him to defy the Constitution and run for a 3rd term.”

However, Trump’s political weaponisation of Christianity does not stop there. In 2024, he endorsed an updated version of Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA Bible. Various special editions have recently become available, including a “Presidential Edition” and a “Day God Intervened” platinum edition, commemorating Trump. Naturally, these special editions warrant a price increase.

Trump’s Bible also omits Constitutional amendments 11 – 27; key documents that abolish slavery and grant equal voting rights. More worryingly, it also omits the amendment limiting a presidential run to two terms, threatening the possibility that Trump’s godly status posits his authority to defy the US Constitution and seek a 3rd term.

Is This Really God’s Plan?

It’s hard to deny that the idea of Trump being a godly figure has taken root in American society, especially when this view only continues to grow among his supporters. Many are even actively encouraging him to defy the Constitution and run for a 3rd term.

By not caring about policy or competence and blindly trusting every word Trump says, MAGA supporters are behaving like citizens living in a dictatorship. The cult of personality is a long used tactic of dictators to ensure obedience from their followers. Despite American schools teaching about authoritarian regimes and the atrocities caused, many seem to have missed the fact that the US is dangerously close to following in their footsteps.

Given the recent Supreme Court ruling that lower courts don’t have the authority to block the President’s policies, the stage has been set for Trump to step into his new role. And it feels very similar to that of a dictatorship.

After all, who can argue with God’s plan?

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Featured image courtesy of Natilyn Hicks Photography via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license can be found here.

Hi I'm Grace, a student journalist with a focus on politics and current affairs. I'm interested in how politics affects people on a human level. I am also a writer for The Courier, (Newcastle uni's student paper)

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