1801

Source: Excerpt Libary (History III) 

The choice of a convicted felon as a leader by Christian Nationalists and the "New Right," despite obvious concerns, is often presented in the sources as a pragmatic and strategic response to a perceived existential threat from the modern liberal state.

According to the source material, several key factors explain this alignment:

1. The Perception of "Sacramental Liberalism"

Adherents of these movements argue that the secular state is not neutral but has adopted its own "religion," which legal scholar Adrian Vermeule calls "sacramental liberalism". This ideology is described as an "anti-liturgy" that celebrates the "creative destruction" of tradition and settled customs. Christian Nationalists believe the state aggressively proselytizes these values—such as when it "flies a pride flag but bans prayer in schools"—necessitating a leader willing to swap a "destructive liturgy" for a "constructive one".

2. A Call for "Regime Change"

The sources suggest that for many in this movement, standard conservatism has failed because it merely "manages the decline" of civilization. Instead, they advocate for "regime change"—not just voting out Democrats, but a "ruthless seizure" and "overthrow" of the administrative state, universities, and the Department of Justice. Trump is viewed as the instrument for this counterrevolution, a leader willing to dismantle the "cathedral" (the consensus of media, bureaucracy, and academia) that supporters believe views average citizens with contempt.

3. Priority of Policy over Personality

Supporters often prioritize long-term judicial and policy victories over the personal character of the leader. Key accomplishments cited in the sources include:

• Overturning Roe v. Wade: Celebrated as the "greatest pro-family win in a generation".
• Dismantling the "Administrative State": The goal is to return self-governance to the people by firing "un-fireable" bureaucrats and shuttering "corrupt" offices.
• Fighting "Wokeism": Waging a cultural war against what they term "critical race theory" and "gender ideology" in schools and the military.

4. The "Flight 93" Logic

One influential argument, the "Flight 93 election" thesis, posits that the country is in such a dire state that "charging the cockpit" (supporting Trump) is the only alternative to certain national death. In this view, the "amorality" of the leader is secondary to his ability to drain the "swamp" and protect the community from the "gale force winds of change" around cultural norms and work.

5. The "Culmination of Conservatism"

Historian Allan Lichtman argues that Trump did not hijack conservatism but is its "culmination". He notes that the movement has consistently followed two core values since the 1920s: the preservation of private enterprise and the advancement of a narrow view of traditional Christian thinking. Trump succeeded because he gave conservatives "permission to say the kinds of things that they believe" but that more "cautious" politicians were unwilling to say.