Culture, Faith and Politics with Pat Kahnke

In a ruling that strikes down Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs, the Court made something clear: the President is not a king. Under the Constitution, Congress — not the White House — has the authority to levy tariffs. And in this case, the justices drew a line. Yes, the tariffs themselves were economically harmful. Yes, they functioned as a regressive tax hitting working families hardest. But the bigger issue is this: This ruling is a direct rebuke of executive overreach and authoritarian abuse of emergency powers.

ICE’s “Operation Metro Surge” is (hopefully) ending in the Twin Cities — but the damage remains. In January alone, Minneapolis officials estimate the operation cost the city $203 million. Business losses reached $15–$20 million per week. Immigrant-owned businesses saw revenue drop by as much as 80%. Rent assistance requests surged 2,100%. But the economic losses are only part of the story.

In this episode of Culture, Faith, and Politics LIVE, we celebrate reaching a YouTube channel milestone, and an old friend joins the conversation to congratulate Pat and reminisce. Also in this episode, we discuss why CBS tried to block Stephen Colbert from interviewing James Talarico, as well as Rev. Jesse Jackson's passing.

For years, many white American Christians have claimed that Christianity is under attack. Politicians echo it. Media personalities repeat it. Entire campaigns are built on it. But what if the greatest test facing the Church in America isn’t surviving persecution — but resisting the temptation to wield power against the vulnerable?

The Wall Street Journal just published a major exposé detailing chaos, self-promotion, and serious ethical concerns inside the Department of Homeland Security under Kristi Noem. From the $70 million government jet… to the $200 million ad campaign… to ICE raids staged for cameras… this report raises hard questions about leadership, corruption, and accountability. For years, I’ve warned that Kristi Noem’s immigration strategy wasn’t just aggressive — it was performative. Built on demonization. Fueled by publicity. Designed for presidential ambition. Now even conservative insiders appear to be pushing back.

In this episode, I sit down with writer Mark Ramm of Transparency Cascade Press to trace the historic roots of Pete Hegseth’s theology of violence — and how it connects to Christian nationalism, hardline masculinity, and a centuries-old debate inside American Christianity. We follow the thread from Doug Wilson and the “Sin of Empathy” teaching… back through R.J. Rushdoony… and even further to Confederate theologian Robert Lewis Dabney. Is there a direct line from antebellum pro-slavery theology to modern Christian nationalist ideology? And how did those ideas make their way into today’s conversations about ICE, masculinity, authority, and the U.S. military? This is not a partisan conversation. It’s a theological one.

Today, we break down the explosive Pam Bondi hearing surrounding the Epstein files, the DOJ’s handling of survivor information, and the growing questions about accountability. Why did Pam Bondi refuse to apologize to Epstein survivors after their private information was released? Why does the Department of Justice keep deflecting to Merrick Garland and past administrations? And what does the Bible say about covering for the powerful while the vulnerable suffer?

It was a tale of two SUPER BOWL halftime shows. Did America survive Bad Bunny? Or did his message of love and togetherness hit harder than the hypocrisy on display at the Turning Point USA halftime show or Trump’s words at this week’s National Prayer breakfast? Pat goes live with Ken Napzok to discuss it all.

Peter Wehner’s new Atlantic article hits hard—and his appearance on Morning Joe might shock you. Why? Because a group of secular news hosts just articulated the Gospel more clearly than many white evangelical pastors. In this episode, I share key clips from that conversation, unpack what it means for the future of American Christianity, and explain why I’m encouraged, not discouraged, by this cultural shift.