Letter to the editor: Trump appointee rejects Christian Nationalism

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 08.13.26

Alarmed at the Trump administration’s assault on religious freedom? You aren’t alone. Patriotic Americans are speaking out, including Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, appointed in 2017 by Trump himself.

Article VI of the U.S. Constitution states: “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” The First Amendment declares: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

The Trump administration acts like those constitutional protections never existed.

Defense Secretary Hegseth said, “America was founded as a Christian nation; it remains a Christian nation.” He holds official monthly Christian worship services at the Pentagon. He urged Americans to pray for victory over Iran “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

VP Vance said, “Christianity is America’s creed,” and “we have been, and by the grace of God, we always will be, a Christian nation.”

Trump’s so-called Religious Liberty Commission was sued for religious discrimination. It includes 11 Christians, one Jew and no other faiths. Its chair, Dan Patrick, said, “the separation of church and state is the biggest lie that’s been told in America since our founding.”

Trump questioned whether separation of church and state is “a good thing or a bad thing.” He suggested we “forget about that.”

Justice Gorsuch rejects that suggestion. “We were founded for religious pluralism and the opportunity to practice your own faith in your own way,” he told PBS’ Margaret Hoover. “We were never supposed to be a nation that was about one race or one religion.”

Gorsuch rejects Christian Nationalism. “I mean, it’s demonstrably not true that we came from the same religion. I mean, we have a First Amendment, for crying out loud,” he exclaimed. “No established religion. Everybody has a freedom of religion. We are all equal under law, OK?”

Gorsuch should tell Trump, who seems hellbent on gutting the Constitution’s guarantees of religious freedom.

Larry Widman

Leland