Professor warns religious right may push US toward authoritarianism under Trump influence
An emeritus professor of environmental change at the University of Helsinki says that religious groups backing Donald Trump are steering the United States toward authoritarian tendencies.
University of Helsinki emeritus professor Atte Korhola warns that the religious forces rallying behind Donald Trump are advancing an authoritarian trajectory in the United States. Drawing on a 2023 Public Religion Research Institute poll, he points out that half of Christian nationalist supporters endorse a leader who would disregard established rules. Korhola highlights that white evangelical Protestants overwhelmingly voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential race, whereas other Protestant and Catholic voters were more divided, with Black Protestants and Latino Catholics leaning toward Kamala Harris.
He criticizes Trump’s personal conduct as inconsistent with traditional Christian values, noting his civil-law conviction for sexual misconduct and allegations of infidelity. Korhola also links the Trump administration to the Project 2025 agenda, which aims to embed Christian nationalist influence throughout government, and suggests that many of its initiatives could be completed during a second Trump term.
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