Exactly four years ago, Trump and several of his supporters tried to overthrow American democracy by attacking the Capitol, following a two-month-long campaign in which Trump lied about winning the 2020 election.

Since then, it has been revealed how Trump pressured the Department of Justice and other Republican politicians to declare him the winner of the election. When that didn’t work, he incited his supporters in Washington on January 6, 2021: “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore!”

The mob marched towards the Capitol, and several shouted that they would kill Vice President Pence (who was considered a traitor) and Democratic politicians. Lawmakers fled in terror to their offices or bathrooms, many trying to contact Trump and beg him to stop the attack.

Trump, however, enthusiastically watched the attack unfold on TV and told his staff that he certainly had no intention of resigning. After the attack failed to overturn democracy, he of course resigned, but just two months later, Trump told Fox News that the mob were honorable patriots who should not be prosecuted. Over 460 people have been convicted for the crimes they committed that day.

Trump has also called the Capitol attack “a day of love” and promised to pardon those who participated in the attack. In two weeks, he will be sworn in again as president at the same legislature his supporters attacked. He was charged with attempting to overthrow democracy, but those charges are now being dropped as he is re-elected president. He has also appointed ministers who authored the authoritarian plan “Project 2025,” which in great detail describes how democracy should be undermined and the president’s power strengthened.

But no matter how dark Trump’s plans may be, there is someone more powerful than him and all other people. My hope is not in human kingdoms but in God’s kingdom. As the Bible says: “Do not trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save… The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.” – Psalm 146:3

Update January 21st:

In a single stroke, Donald Trump has pardoned nearly 1,600 individuals who stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to install him as a dictator—including hundreds who were imprisoned for violently attacking police.

Trump has never concealed his desire to stay in power—even after losing an election. If he had his way, he would have become a dictator in 2021.

The message is crystal clear: those who commit violence in Trump’s name, for Trump’s sake, can count on having the president—and the entire state—on their side.”

As I warned last fall, Trump is one of the most authoritarian and anti-democratic politicians the Western world has seen in decades. And yet, it is nothing short of catastrophic that so many Christians continue to see him as some kind of savior.

Micael Grenholm is a Swedish church historian, author and an editor for PCPJ.

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