Are Christian visionaries turning on Trump?
ROLLING STONE
CHARLIE SHAMP — a bearded Christian “prophet” with a jet-black pompadour — appeared as a guest on the Jim Bakker Show last week to share a heavenly vision about Republican politics. And for once, it wasn’t about Donald Trump. “We need to watch Ron DeSantis,” Shamp told the televangelist’s audience. “Because the Lord is going to use him in a powerful way.”
Shamp shared a “vision” he’d received of two palm trees —- one planted in California, the other in Florida. He’d asked, “Lord, who are these two palm trees?” And God responded: “This palm tree from California is Ronald Reagan. This palm tree that is in Florida is Ron DeSantis.”
The self-styled prophet said his vision presented the Florida governor as a “tree of righteousness” that God would replant in Washington D.C. to stand strong against “the storms.” Shamp then gave a bold prophetic word: “There’s something about Ron DeSantis that we need to begin to pray for. Because his ultimate future is to have a position in the United States as the president.”
Charismatic Christians offering prophecies about politics is not new. But for years, the divine visions of presidential triumph have centered on one man: Donald John Trump. Shamp’s shift to praise a new heavenly standard bearer in DeSantis marks the latest (terrestrial) sign that Trump is struggling to recapture the influential faith leaders who helped key his 2016 victory — and who stuck with him to the bitterest ends in 2021, when the reality of Biden’s victory exposed prophecies of a second Trump term, including Shamp’s, as bunkum.
White evangelical Christians are the beating heart of the GOP base. Perhaps the wildest feat of Trump’s political career was convincing the fundamentalist faithful that he — a philandering, thrice-married, “pussy” grabber — could advance the cause of Godliness in the White House. If this bloc were to lose faith in Trump, it could doom his dream of recapturing the GOP nomination.
Shamp’s DeSantis prophesy leaves some wiggle room. He didn’t insist DeSantis would win the White House in 2024, specifically. But in painting “Ronald” DeSantis as the second coming of the Ronald Regan he sent a strong signal that the prophetic Christian community is open to turning the page on Trump, in favor of a more authentic spiritual warrior.
For secular Americans who rely on polls, fivethirtyeight.com and the Cook Political Report for their election forecasts, the notion that God is handpicking the nation’s political leaders — and tipping his moves to Christian prophets — can seem bizarre.
