THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent Trump Press Sec’s Vile New Effort to Exploit Mormon Shooting Backfires
Sep 30, 2025
Sarah Posner, a journalist specializing in the religious right, joins to unpack the political fallout from the Michigan church shooting. She exposes how the shooter, a potential Trump supporter, contradicts claims of anti-Christian targeting by the White House. Posner highlights how MAGA rhetoric cultivates a persecution narrative, rallying evangelical followers for political purposes. The discussion also touches on the risks of militarized responses and the overlooked solutions for gun violence, drawing parallels to past incidents.
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Motive May Be Anti‑Mormon, Not Broadly Anti‑Christian
- Early evidence suggested the Michigan shooter displayed pro‑Trump signs and anti‑Mormon rhetoric.
- That pattern complicates claims that the attack was simply anti‑Christian rather than anti‑Mormon specifically.
Evangelical View Of Mormonism Shapes Political Messaging
- Many evangelical Trump supporters do not regard Mormons as Christian because of extra‑biblical teachings.
- That theological distinction makes labeling an attack on Mormons as an attack on Christians politically expedient but inaccurate.
Don’t Let Leaders Rush Conclusions
- Avoid rushing to politicized conclusions before investigations conclude.
- Wait for evidence rather than letting leaders weaponize tragedies for base messaging.