The future of the MAGA movement is starting to take a new shape and it’s becoming deeply tied to Christian nationalism. And that kind of movement, it seems, needs a religious figure at the top.
We got a preview of this shift on Sunday at the memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. While the event was, on one level, meant to honor Kirk’s life and grieve his tragic death, it also turned into something much more: a major gathering of MAGA leaders and supporters, perhaps the most important one since Donald Trump first became president. And it felt very different from anything we’ve seen before.
What stood out the most was this: for once, Trump wasn’t the star of the show. He was there, but he wasn’t the main focus. In fact, he seemed like a side character—awkwardly out of place, not really in tune with the mood of the event.
Instead, the spotlight was on two people: Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Erika Kirk gave the most moving speech of the day. She shocked many by publicly forgiving the person who killed her husband. But she also used the moment to deliver a message—one that made it clear the event wasn’t just about grief. It was about purpose, faith, and the future of the conservative movement.
J.D. Vance also spoke powerfully. His speech was the strongest from anyone in the Trump administration who took the stage, in part because he seemed to have been truly close to Kirk—and in part because he was clearly on the same page as Erika.
What set them apart from Trump was the tone. Trump spoke like a politician. Erika and Vance sounded more like religious leaders—televangelists, even. They talked about a spiritual mission, a religious revival. Their message was loud and clear: the future of MAGA is all about Christian nationalism. And from now on, the movement’s central figure won’t be Trump it’ll be Jesus.
On the surface, that might sound like a big improvement: moving away from a man known for his scandals, lies, and shady behavior, toward a religious figure known for compassion, forgiveness, and virtue.
And for the MAGA movement, which has become more and more religious in recent years, this shift makes sense. Evangelical Christianity is now deeply woven into the Republican base. And ideas like “Dominionism”—the belief that America should be governed by Christian leaders who apply biblical laws—are gaining traction among Republican politicians, judges, and media voices.
But this shift is also deeply troubling.
First, not all Americans are Christians—or religious at all. This country was founded on the idea that church and state should be separate. The government is supposed to represent everyone, not just one religious group. But this new version of MAGA seems to be pushing the idea that only Christians—more specifically, conservative Christians—truly belong.
Second, we can’t ignore the dark side of modern American televangelism. Many of the loudest religious leaders in MAGA circles have become wealthy and powerful, preaching messages that seem more focused on money and influence than faith or humility. These same leaders supported Trump as a “chosen” figure, despite his behavior, treating him as if he were almost divine himself.
And now, with some of those same leaders helping to shape the next phase of MAGA, it’s hard not to see history repeating itself. Even if the language becomes more religious, and even if the face of the movement shifts from Trump to Jesus, the underlying values—power, control, exclusion—aren’t going anywhere.
That was clear at the memorial. Trump hugged Erika Kirk, but he no longer felt like the heart of the movement. Instead, many of the people there talked about the future in spiritual terms, dividing the country not just by politics, but by religion—labeling their opponents not just wrong, but ungodly or even evil. Trump adviser Stephen Miller didn’t shy away from this kind of rhetoric.
And that’s a dangerous road to go down. Turning political disagreements into spiritual warfare creates deeper divisions. It tells people that if you don’t share the movement’s beliefs, you aren’t just politically misguided—you’re morally broken, or even destined for hell.
Replacing Trump with religion doesn’t automatically fix the problems with the movement. It doesn’t erase the racism, sexism, or intolerance that still exist in MAGA’s ranks. And it doesn’t change the fact that Charlie Kirk—whose life and views were celebrated at the memorial—stood for many of those same things.
So even though the speeches were different, and the symbols have changed, the core of the movement hasn’t. Dressing it up in religious language doesn’t make it more moral. Saying “Jesus” doesn’t make hate holy.
