‘Holy War’: Why Republicans Embrace Apocalyptic Rhetoric

In the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination, Republicans are adopting harsh religious language to frame American politics as an existential battle between good and evil.

Such framing is dangerous, but also desperate. Polls show that a majority of Americans disapprove of the Trump administration and its policies. In addition, the White House is dogged by constant scandals—the Epstein files, the Tom Homan corruption case, a the Trump family’s nonstop efforts to cash in on the presidency. Trump’s second term is proving to be a disaster of historic proportions, and economic indicators are starting to look grim.

That’s why he and his cronies are desperate to change the subject by posing as angelic heroes doing battle with demonic forces.

This isn’t coincidental. The shift to the “holy war” frame comes as Peter Thiel, a Trump-supporting tech billionaire, is delivering four secret lectures about the “Antichrist.”

Last week, I wrote a piece for the New Republic that decodes Thiel’s strange religious gobbledygook and exposes it for what it is: a weapon of political warfare. You can read the full piece below.

Strangely, Thiel’s Antichrist speeches outline the very tactics we are now seeing the Republican Party pursue:

What’s Up With Peter Thiel’s Obsession With the Antichrist?

The tech mogul is amping up his apocalyptic rhetoric—and adding a dangerous dose of extremism into the already-fraught culture war.

The New RepublicGil Duran

Live with Wajahat Ali

Today at 10 a.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Eastern) I’ll join Wajahat Ali for a live discussion of the MAGA cult's sudden pivot to “holy war” religious themes. Our conversation will stream live at Ali’s Left Hook substack. Click here to watch.