Evangelical Christians are quick to tell us that God sets up kings and removes them (Daniel 2:21), so when someone like Trump is elected, they rejoice, saying the will of God has prevailed! Yet, if Daniel 2:21 is true in all cases, why didn’t these same folks rejoice in the election of Biden over Trump in 2020? Something doesn’t make sense here. Shouldn’t we always rejoice in the will of God? Was it really God’s will, when Trump got elected in 2016, but was defeated in 2020, and then re-elected in 2024? Is God that fickle, about who he wishes to rule, or should we look deeper into what the word of God really says?
While it is true that God does, indeed, set up kings, does Daniel 2:21 say, he sets up every king? It is also true that God removes kings, but does the scripture mean every king that loses office, by whatever means, was it God who removed him? No, Daniel 2:21 does not say God sets up every king that arises or that he removes every king that falls. It simply says, God rules the kings of the earth, and he is able to both set kings up and remove them at will.
How can I say this, and is my understanding correct, and, if so, how do I know? Well, what does the word of God say elsewhere, and is Daniel 2:21 limited in any way? Speaking of Israel, the word of the Lord says: “They have set up kings, but not by me!” (Hosea 8:4). Thus, if both Daniel and Hosea are telling the truth, God doesn’t set up or remove every king that reigns, but he does set up and remove some kings. Now, let’s consider Trump’s win in 2016, his lose in 2020, and his second win in 2024. I can conclude that God had nothing to do with any of these elections, but I’m guessing. Nevertheless, if we rejoice in Trump’s victories and mourn over his losses, this has nothing to do with the will of God.
Okay, we’ve established that God may set up and remove kings (or not), and he does these things according to his own will. In other words, God is powerful enough to do as he pleases in the kingdoms of men (cp. Daniel 4:35-36; Revelation 11:15-18). So, let’s play a little with God’s will for the sake of argument. Suppose he did set up Trump in 2016, what should that mean to us, as Christians? Well, what sort of folks supported Trump in 2016? Remember, many Presidential campaign experts were baffled with his success and left wondering in 2016, how did we get here?
First, we have evidence that he was supported by racial groups that favored whites of European descent, because there was great fear among those groups that whites of European descent would soon lose their status as the majority of the American population. In fact, some of Trumps most vocal supporters came from radical groups like the Proud Boys, which led to the insurrection in Washington on January 6, 2025.
Secondly, Trump’s support came from folks who believed in authoritarianism at the expense of personal rights, vis-à-vis law and order first, rights second, or as we’ve understood it in the past, “shoot first ask questions later.” This group wouldn’t mind seeing Trump as a dictator instead of a president.
Finally, Trump’s support came from white Evangelical Christians, who wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade. In an effort to make abortion illegal, they put all their cookies in one basket and voted for Trump, while overlooking other horrific positions he had taken, vis-à-vis taking away personal rights, his bigotry, his womanizing, his business practices etc. Nothing else mattered to these one-issue voters.
I have no communion with the first two groups, so I won’t comment. However, to the Evangelicals I’ll say this. Whether or not abortion should be legal isn’t something for us to take part in. That’s a state matter, and we can believe and practice whatever we wish, not matter how the state rules on the issue of abortion.
Trump could not have been elected without the support of all three groups, mentioned above. Therefore, Evangelicals need to take responsibility before God for Trump’s Presidency. Moreover, if abortion is to be eliminated, should it be eliminated by law or by the Gospel. The law has no mercy, but the Gospel speaks the mercy of God into one’s heart, and is full of grace and love. For decades, Evangelicals have preached the scripture “Don’t become unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2Corinthians 6:14), in the context of folks getting married. How can you preach that, when it suits you, while offending that same scripture by voting for Trump in an effort to eliminate abortion? It seems to me that you have become issue orientated in matters of politics, instead of people orientated.[1] Let God take care of the issues, and let us seek to care for people.[2]
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[1] My party affiliation is Republican, because I believe we should be cautious about change in government matters. While I’m not anti-liberal, I am less apt to embark on something new than liberals are. Nevertheless, I’m not an issue voter. I’m people orientated. I voted for Hilary Clinton in 2016, not because I supported her ideas of government, but because I believed she was the better moral choice. Her public life rings more morally true than does Trump’s.
[2] I drew heavily upon an article in Psychology Today, “An Analysis of Trump Supporters Has Identified 5 Key Traits,” by Bobby Azarian Ph.D. I didn’t follow it exactly and I take full responsibility for that here.
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