Professor warns Christian nationalist support for Trump fuels US authoritarian drift

In a recent interview, Atte Korhola, emeritus professor of environmental change at the University of Helsinki, warned that the religious right’s endorsement of Donald Trump is pushing the United States toward an authoritarian model. Drawing on a 2023 Public Religion Research Institute survey, he noted that roughly two-thirds of Christian nationalists back authoritarian goals, and 38% of sympathizers favor a leader willing to break rules.

Evangelical white Protestants voted for Trump at a rate of 81% in the 2024 presidential race, while other denominations showed more mixed preferences. Korhola connects this backing to the “Project 2025” plan, which aims to embed Christian nationalist influence throughout government and has already seen 55% of its proposals enacted, according to a dedicated tracker. Key architects of the plan include Russell Vought, now head of the Office of Management and Budget, and former CIA director John Ratcliffe. The professor describes the relationship as a “win-win” for Trump and evangelical leaders, despite the former’s controversial personal conduct that many Christians find morally inconsistent.