Tim Alberta explains Trump’s ‘chokehold’ on the evangelical vote

Journalist Tim Alberta joins Margaret Hoover to discuss his reporting on the corruption of the evangelical movement by partisan politics and the role of the church in the ascendance of Donald Trump.

Alberta, the son of an evangelical preacher and author of “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory,” explains why the church has aligned behind Trump, providing one of his most loyal bases of support despite his character flaws, inflammatory rhetoric, and legal troubles. 

He also digs into the persecution complex at the root of the evangelical movement, how a sense of fear fueled by cable news has supplanted the faith-based message of the church, and what the rise of Christian nationalism could mean for a second Trump presidency.

Alberta, a staff writer for the Atlantic, assesses the state of the Republican primary race heading into the Iowa caucuses and offers his take on Nikki Haley’s campaign.

Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Stephens Inc., Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, The Asness Family Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, and Damon Button.