By Trendsetter Tribune 
In a series of viral critiques and high-profile statements this February, several prominent conservative Christian voices have moved to “demolish” the theological underpinnings of MAGA evangelicalism. The core of their argument is that the movement has transitioned from a political alliance into a “new religion” that uses Jesus as a branding tool while ignoring his actual teachings.
The most significant of these critiques came from Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, and a viral social media campaign by North Carolina nurse Jen Hamilton, whose “Mirror of Matthew 25” video has garnered over 8.6 million views.
The Three “Demolished” Talking Points
1. The “God Using Trump” Defense
- The Talking Point: The common evangelical claim that “God uses imperfect vessels” (like King Cyrus or King David) to achieve holy ends, justifying a blind eye to moral character.
- The Demolition: Russell Moore and others have argued that this logic has been twisted into a “moral abomination.” Moore noted on February 10, 2026, that when Christians “pretend this is normal” in the face of racist imagery or cruelty, they aren’t supporting an “imperfect vessel”—they are participating in idolatry. He argues the movement has traded the “Cross for the Swastika” by prioritizing power over the “Fruit of the Spirit.”
2. The “MAGA Policy is Scriptural” Claim
- The Talking Point: Claims from influencers like Allie Beth Stuckey that restrictive immigration and social policies are “scriptural.”
- The Demolition: Jen Hamilton’s viral video “held up a mirror” to this claim by reading Matthew 25 while displaying current administration headlines.
- “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”: Overlaid with headlines of mass deportations to El Salvador.
- “I was hungry and you fed me”: Overlaid with the $300 billion SNAP (food stamp) cuts in the 2026 budget proposal.
- The Conclusion: Hamilton argued that these policies don’t just “oppose” Jesus; they “actively harm the specific communities He called us to love.”
3. The “Victimhood” Narrative
- The Talking Point: The idea that American Christians are “under siege” and must fight a “spiritual war” for control of the government.
- The Demolition: Columnist David French and others have described this as “cruel optimism”—a toxic attachment to a non-existent “Promised Land” of 1950s cultural hegemony. French argues that what evangelicals feel is “persecution” is actually just the loss of their ability to impose their will on others without resistance.