The Lincoln Project, a conservative coalition formed in 2019 with the goal of opposing Donald Trump and countering Trumpism, has adopted a distinctive strategy to counter the narrative portraying the former president as a divine figure, according to a report by Raw Story on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
Tara Setmayer, a member of the group, unveiled their response during an appearance on MSNBC’s “The Reid Out.”
The conservative collective aimed to produce a video countering the narrative prevalent at Trump rallies, which asserts that “God gave us Trump.”
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This phrase, generated using artificial intelligence to emulate the voice of the late radio broadcaster Paul Harvey, has been employed to depict Trump as a quasi-deity entrusted with a divine mission.
The Lincoln Project’s video opens with the line, “God looked down on his planned paradise and said, ‘I need a caretaker,’ so God gave us Trump.”
The narrator proceeds to characterize the former president as a “shepherd to mankind who won’t ever leave nor forsake them.”
However, Setmayer and The Lincoln Project opted to present an opposing narrative in their version of the video.
In response to the idea that God bestowed Trump upon the world, they propose that God also allowed for dictators, positioning Trump as such in their video.
The counter-narrative takes a darker turn, suggesting that God said, “I need a corrupt man who is above the law and immune from justice,” and “I need a man who will use violence to seize power.”
The video underscores characteristics associated with dictatorial behavior, highlighting the repercussions of blindly following such figures.
Setmayer, during her appearance on MSNBC, explained the motivation behind creating this response.
She pointed out that Trump’s campaign had been airing an ad titled “God made Trump,” prompting The Lincoln Project to provide an alternative perspective.
“We said, ‘Oh, no, no, no. God also allowed for dictators, too,” Setmayer clarified.
The group’s aim was to challenge the narrative that seeks to immortalize Trump and sanitize his actions by presenting a version that portrays him as a dictator.
Setmayer expressed concern about the influence of such narratives within the evangelical community, blaming them for veering away from the teachings of Jesus.
She noted the irony that if evangelicals followed the principles they claim to preach in the Bible, the Trump era might have unfolded differently.
“If the evangelical church actually followed what they claim to preach in the Bible, we wouldn’t have had four years of Donald Trump,” Setmayer stated.
The Lincoln Project’s response video serves as a satirical critique, aiming to point out what they see as a departure from core values within the evangelical community.
By challenging the narrative that presents Trump as a divine figure, the group seeks to highlight what they perceive as a worrisome trend among evangelicals in their support for Trump.
