Trump's Day 1 Dictatorship Goes as Planned
Plus: New Book Club Tonight!
President Donald Trump fulfilled his campaign promise to be a dictator on day one of his presidency.
At noon on Monday, Trump took an oath to "faithfully execute the office of president" and "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution," then quickly got to work betraying that oath.
First, Trump issued an executive order revoking part of the US Constitution. One of his first EOs attempts to end birthright citizenship, which is granted by the 14th Amendment. Under a constitutional republic, he would not be allowed to do that, but what the Constitution says doesn't matter if you're a dictator.
Second, dictators need loyalists, not professionals, in government who will abide by their decrees regardless of what the Constitution, other branches of government, or state governments say. To that end, Trump's day 1 dictatorship converted at least 50,000 civil servant jobs, maybe more, to political appointment positions.
Third, dictators use violence and threats of violence to maintain control, so Trump released from prison his allies who previously used political violence in an attempted coup on January 6, 2021. Trump's pardon of all 1,500 J6 insurrectionists* brings two advantages to Trump's day 1 dictatorship: 1) these loyalists will be free to use political violence again on Trump's behalf when called upon, and 2) it sends a message to others considering the use of political violence on behalf of the regime that they will suffer no consequences if they do so because Trump can simply pardon them.
Fourth, dictators use government power against their political opponents. During the campaign, Trump promised "vengeance" against his political foes, whom he called "the enemy within." His day 1 dictatorship got his vengeance program started with EOs directing investigations of those who prosecuted the J6 insurrectionists and other Biden administration officials.
All in all, this has been a discouraging week for lovers of democracy. But here is some encouraging news: democracy defenders are not giving up. In fact, we're more emboldened than ever. As leader of a pro-democracy organization, I'm seeing folks from across the political spectrum who are ready for the fights ahead. Next month, for instance, we'll be at the Principles First Summit, which continues to grow and will certainly be the largest, most energized PF conference yet.
And just last weekend we co-sponsored a conference in Ohio, "Who Is My Neighbor? Summit on Immigration, Springfield, and the Church." Twelve Thirteen different organizations worked together on the event, which was at max capacity (234) in-person and nearly the same number registered on-line. Many attendees remarked that they left feeling more hopeful knowing that there were Christians willing to tell the truth about and lend support to immigrants amid this new xenophobic and authoritarian fever taking hold. You can watch the recording here (I’m around the 40 minute mark) and here.
As I wrote in a previous newsletter, "While the challenge is great, our resolve is greater still."
Join Our Next Book Club!
For our next book club, we’ll read Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor by Pastor Caleb Campbell. We’ll meet starting tonight at 8pm until March 13. You can download the first chapter from the Intervarsity Press website. Everyone who registers and attends the first meeting will be provided a free copy. Register here:
Applications Open: J29 for 2025!
Pastors,
Have you seen your community and congregation divided over politics? We understand the struggles you face and are here to help. In today's hyper-polarized world, guiding your congregation through the complexities of politics while keeping Jesus at the center feels like an uphill battle. J29 Coalition is here to help.
We are now taking applications for this year’s J29 cohort, a 3-month program starting in September. This cohort provides encouragement, support, and a vision for your congregation’s future as you navigate the choppy waters of 2025 and beyond. You’ll gain practical tools, a community of trusted leaders, and a renewed confidence to faithfully disciple your church in kingdom-shaped politics—putting Jesus above partisanship. For a quick overview, watch this:
In Other News
ABC News: “Trump authorizes ICE to target courthouses, schools and churches”
Federal immigration authorities will be permitted to target schools and churches after President Donald Trump revoked a directive barring arrests in “sensitive” areas.
Link.
Note: We wrote about this in a previous newsletter, “Will Trump's Feds Raid Churches?”
CNN: “Flights canceled for refugees who were slated to travel to US”
Refugees who were slated to travel to the United States after a years-long and often cumbersome process have had their flights canceled, according to a State Department memo to resettlement partners obtained by CNN.
The memo comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s executive order suspending refugee admissions and marks another example of the swift impact his actions are already having. The move stands to affect thousands of refugees who had flights already scheduled.
…
The cancellation of flights and pause on cases puts potentially tens of thousands of Afghan refugees, including those who aided the US during the war but have not received SIV status, around the world at risk, according to #AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations advocating for bringing Afghans to safety since the end of the war in Afghanistan in 2021. The move “endangers thousands who risked their lives for US missions” in Afghanistan, #AfghanEvac said Wednesday, including families of US troops, Afghan partner forces, “and women pilots who trained and fought alongside US troops.”
RNS: “Faith-based aid agencies challenge Trump’s order 'realigning' refugee program”
Matthew Soerens, vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief, an evangelical Christian group, said the order runs counter to the values of Christians who voted for Trump since 2016. “They did so heartened by pledges that he would secure our borders and protect Christians from persecution, but most did not anticipate that he would halt a long-standing, legal immigration program that offers refuge to those persecuted for their Christian faith. We hope and pray he will reconsider.”
Rolling Stone: “The Oath Keepers Are Back — and Targeting America’s Youth”
Under “Areas of Development” the strategy document underscores a push to ally the Oath Keepers with law enforcement officers or “LEOs” and right-wing politicos. It reads: “Need to continue to expand our LEO relationships and mutual support” and “Need to expand our relationships with political leaders at all levels (local, County, State).”
The strategy documents reveal an effort to be more welcoming — reflecting a desire to “include and engage family into our organization.”
The goals also include “Recruiting of younger… persons.” And some of the targets are young indeed: The document highlights a need for “Community outreach programs. (Boy scouts, public training, events, youth involvement).” The line chart reveals a strategic goal for the coming years, shorthanded as: “Established youth programs.”
David French: “Texas Has a Perverse Idea of Religious Freedom”
Paxton argues that closing Annunciation House won’t substantially burden its free exercise of religion. Why? Because according to Paxton, Annunciation House, which mainly serves the poor, doesn’t engage in many religious rituals. Here’s a quote from Paxton’s brief:
Annunciation House’s house director testified that Annunciation House (i) goes periods of “nine months, 10 months” without offering Catholic Mass, (ii) does not offer confessions, baptisms or communion and (iii) makes “no” efforts to evangelize or convert its guests to any religion.
In other words, Annunciation House isn’t Catholic enough to earn Pope Paxton’s seal of approval.
This is absurd — and threatening to American civil liberties. First, it’s ridiculous to believe that service to refugees isn’t free exercise all by itself. In fact, serving the poor is one of the purest forms of religious service that exists. It’s mandated or endorsed in, by one count, more than 2,000 passages in Scripture. It’s also one of the most ancient manifestations of Christian service and identity.
The very idea that a state official would take it upon himself to judge a faith-based institution’s religiosity and authenticity is deeply problematic. It entangles the state in ecclesiastical affairs. Whenever public officials pass religious judgment on expressions of religious faith, it raises profound establishment clause concerns.
NYT: “Trump Pardoned Her for Storming the Capitol. ‘Absolutely Not,’ She Said.”
“Absolutely not,” Ms. Hemphill said in an interview on Wednesday. “It’s an insult to the Capitol Police, to the rule of law and to the nation. If I accept a pardon, I’m continuing their propaganda, their gaslighting and all their falsehoods they’re putting out there about Jan. 6.”
Ms. Hemphill, 71, who was called “MAGA Granny” in some news headlines, has said that she no longer supports Mr. Trump or believes his lie that the 2020 election was stolen. She said that a therapist had helped change her view of the attack by telling her she was “not a victim of Jan. 6; I was a volunteer.”
“I lost my critical thinking,” she said on Wednesday, reflecting on her involvement in the riot and the “Stop the Steal” movement. “Now I know it was a cult, and I was in a cult.”
What to Watch
The Bulwark’s Tim Miller argues that debates over whether Elon Musk used a Nazi salute distracts from more serious issues.
*Most were full pardons while 14 had commuted sentences.
 | A guest post by
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Did American Values Coalition ever reprove and rebuke your own side for bringing false accusations of Russian collusion against Trump during his first administration?