Overview
- At AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix, speakers pushed Christian nationalist themes, with Vice President JD Vance saying the U.S. "always will be a Christian nation," a claim critics countered by citing Founders’ defenses of church–state separation.
- Salon’s Amanda Marcotte argues MAGA leaders are promoting a story of a sweeping, youth-driven return to fundamentalist Christianity to galvanize supporters and donors.
- Marcotte cites a December Pew finding that young adults remain less religious than older Americans and are less religious than young people a decade ago.
- She reports Turning Point USA shifted toward explicit Christian nationalist organizing and drew $55 million from 10 anonymous donors, compared with $8 million in 2016.
- Coverage notes Republicans express high confidence about election gains even as other forecasts suggest possible seat losses, underscoring a gap between movement messaging and broader indicators.