God’s Hand in Politics? Evangelicals See Ex-President’s Escape as a Miracle

Ex-President Donald Trump
Ex-President Donald Trump. Credit | AP

United States – Donald Trump has escaped having a bullet fired at him by a would-be assassin, and this event has gone further to assure the evangelical supporting Trump that God anoints him and that the populist presidential campaign leads to this angle of his campaign, as reported by Reuters.

Trump and his campaign have employed various religious symbols for his candidature, and this has been termed as cultism by the detractors, where he and he alone is the savior of America that he paints as a nation of criminals nearing a collapse.

Evangelical Support Solidified

During interviews with 18 delegates on Monday at the Republicans’ national convention in Milwaukee, just two did not think that God had intervened to help Trump largely avoid assassination attempts.

Some said that divine intervention was God’s way of telling American voters that after the election, it should not be Biden, the Democrat, who should be in the White House but Trump instead.

Belief in Divine Protection

“To me, it was God-given protection,” said Sharon D. Regan, a Trump delegate from Florida. “It was miraculous. It was sent by heaven, and I pray that protection continues.”

Trump himself also portrayed his narrow escape as the deeds of God. The last one was published on Sunday, the day before he had officially become the Republican nominee: ‘It was God alone who stopped the unthinkable from happening. ’

Historical Evangelical Support

In 2016 and 2020 votes, evangelical voters voted for Trump in preference, although he was accused of committing adultery and sexual misconduct, which he did not acknowledge. His opponents on both sides of the political divide label him as immoral and as having a hidden agenda to undermine democracy.

Given that Trump was convicted in May of paying hush money to a porn star or facing dozens of other criminal charges as he seeks re-election, there are some Christian media who see him as an instrument of divine providence who is being vilified by internal enemies.

Divine Providence Amidst Controversies

Ray Myers, a Texas delegate, said: “There’s some kind of mystical thing going on. After everything he’s been through, everything that’s been thrown at him, and now he’s even shed his own blood. And he’s still here. I don’t know how else you can explain it, but God is involved.”

He said for those who believe in divine providence that Trump is chosen by God, the incident of Saturday’s attempted assassination is “another notch in the belt” or “another piece of the puzzle that fell into place. ”

Djupe said the shooting helped to remind those voters that “Trump is battling forces of evil on the other side, and it affirmed his special role as the protector of Christians against the vast forces of evil, including Democrats.”

Finally, Trump and his supporters share images on social media depicting Trump as a Christ-like figure. This concept is also evidenced by T-shirts used in his rallies, such as one depicting Jesus laying his hand on Trump’s shoulder.

During the convention, New Jersey delegate Melanie Collette stated there was a feeling that “God interceded” with Trump’s survival. But she cautioned: God knows we don’t want to idolize Donald Trump. That is a message that Christians should heed, as reported by Reuters.

Divisive Impact

Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist, vehement anti-Trump, does not think that the deification of Trump is helpful in the general election.

“I think it frightens a lot of voters that a lot of his supporters think he’s the messiah,” Madrid said.