The DSR Network The Daily Blast: Trump Press Sec’s Vile New Effort to Exploit Mormon Shooting Backfires
Sep 30, 2025
In this discussion, Sarah Posner, an insightful author and reporter focused on the religious right, shares her expertise on the recent Michigan church shooting. She highlights the political missteps of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who attempts to frame the tragedy as anti-Christian violence, revealing instead the shooter's ties to Trump and anti-Mormon sentiments. Posner explains how the MAGA movement cultivates a sense of persecution and connects this rhetoric to dangerous real-world consequences, including mass shootings and heightened tensions.
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Premature Political Framing
- Trump and Karoline Leavitt quickly framed the Michigan church attack as anti-Christian before motives were clear.
- Sarah Posner warns this framing serves political mobilization more than factual accuracy.
Evangelical View Of Mormonism
- Many evangelical Trump supporters do not consider Mormons to be Christian due to doctrinal differences.
- That distinction makes anti-Mormon bigotry different from broader anti-Christian bias in political messaging.
Mobilizing Through Persecution Narratives
- Leavitt and Trump used the attack to energize an evangelical base by casting themselves as defenders of Christianity.
- Posner says this leverages a binary us-versus-them worldview to solidify support.
