Heather Cox Richardson: Christian nationalist authoritarianism vs. US [View all]
Last edited Sun Dec 28, 2025, 11:29 AM - Edit history (1)
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-27-2025
Over the Christmas holiday, the Trump administration threw its weight against the U.S. Constitution in favor of Christian nationalist authoritarianism.
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And yet, on December 25, 2025, a religious holiday for many Christians, the Trump administration attacked that American principle to claim the U.S. is a Christian nation. As Ashley Ahn of the New York Times chronicled, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted: "The joyous message of Christmas is the hope of Eternal Life through Christ." The Labor Department posted: "Joy to the World. Let Earth Receive Her King."
On December 24, over a video of officials wishing Americans Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays, the Department of Homeland Security posted: "Christ is Born!" Over another video featuring iconic Christmas movies and scenes made up almost exclusively of white Americans and including several images of President Donald J. Trump, DHS posted: "Merry Christmas, America. We are blessed to share a nation and a Savior." On December 25, over a video of iconic American scenes with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" playing, DHS posted: "Rejoice America, Christ is born!"
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted: "Merry Christmas to all. Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May His light bring peace, hope, and joy to you and your families."
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On Christmas Day, Republican Indiana state senator Chris Garten posted AI images of himself punching, kicking, and body-slamming Santa Claus in front of the state capitol. His explanation for the images was that he was reacting to the "'fact' that the North Pole is trying to bring more bureaucratic overreach & unfunded mandates down the chimney disguised as 'Christmas cheer.'" "We The People run Indiana, not the bureaucrats," he wrote. "Take it back to the North Pole big guy."
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