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Straight White American Jesus episodes
- Axis Live: Stephen Miller is the De Facto President + Hegseth Impeachment
Last week, Democrats won a historic victory in the 2026 midterms, and over the weekend Donald Trump told Ross Douthat that his immigration policy was too tough, then named Stephen Miller White House chief of staff after Susie Wiles’ departure. Brad Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor break down what Miller’s promotion means for ICE and the prosecution of Trump’s enemies, why Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis may prove a turning point, and how MAGA voices like Matt Walsh, Jesse Watters, and James Fishback are already staking out lanes for 2028. They also cover Josh Hawley’s December 15 fasting and prayer event at the Capitol, Jake Lang’s planned January 3 march, and whether any of it resembles January 6. Brad draws a parallel to the 1974 midterms and the rise of the religious right, warning that a generational wipeout is not the end of the story. They close with Thomas Massie’s articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth, what his possible removal means for Trump’s Pentagon and for Doug Wilson’s brand of Christian reconstructionism, and an invitation to their November 20 live event in Denver.
If you enjoy our work, please subscribe.
Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494
🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.com
Books mentioned:
📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/
📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-Tyrants
Full tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/p/the-american-caesar-book-tour
🔗 axismundi.us
www.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months
www.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 9 min - Sunday Interview - The Texas Revolution: A Panel of Texans on Why It Happened and What’s Next
Brad Onishi talks with three Texans about what happened in the state on Tuesday, when Democrats won the Senate seat, the governorship, down-ballot statewide races, and a majority on the State Board of Education. Robert Downen of Texas Monthly explains why the results are a generational setback for the national Christian nationalist movement, and why Texas has been its incubator for policy and legal strategy. Journalist Bekah Stolhandske McNeel looks at how progressive clergy and faith-forward candidates changed the conversation, and at what to watch as the religious right recasts itself as the aggrieved party. Mendi Tackett of See It, Name It, Fight It describes how first-time and young voters, worried about schools, cost of living, and ICE, flipped Tarrant County after years of Christian nationalist control of the county commissioners court. The panel also discusses why education is the most likely place for new leaders to begin, how overreaching legislation has fared in court, and why this blue wave is probationary. It ends with a case for connecting on shared values and for giving religious voters a different way to be faithful.
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1 hr 2 min - Weekly Roundup: The Midterms Stopped the End of American Democracy
The midterms are over, and the results were bigger than almost anyone expected. Brad Onishi and Dan Miller go through the wins, the firsts, and what the results mean for the religious right and the Republican Party.
In this episode:Why Texas flipping matters, symbolically and for the electoral mapGeorgia’s statewide results and what they say about decades of organizing in the face of voter suppressionWhy the margin was too big for the “rigged election” and fraud narratives to workHow Trump has responded since Election DayThe first trans and non-binary lawmakers elected in several statesThe Republicans leaving office, and the 2028 hopefuls distancing themselves from the Iran warWhy Republicans are going after Pete Hegseth, and what his exit could mean for Doug Wilson’s influenceWhether this is the peak of the Christian nationalist movement, or only a setbackWhy the work isn’t finished, including the anti-trans ballot measures that passed in some blue statesTimestamps00:00 Intro: the blue wave02:09 Texas10:18 Georgia and the Reconstruction comparison22:27 Mississippi and Republicans in crisis31:11 Trump after the election33:06 New trans and non-binary lawmakers37:01 Who’s leaving office42:39 Generational turnover and the Supreme Court44:22 What Democrats should do first46:45 Hegseth, Wilson, and the religious right58:52 Closing hopes and a note of cautionIf you enjoy our work, please subscribe.Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.comBooks mentioned:📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/e...📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/...Full tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com...🔗 axismundi.uswww.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 monthswww.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 8 min - It's In the Code Ep. 213: Do Christians Even Know What a Christian Is?
What does it mean to be a “Christian”? An overwhelmingly common answer for American Christians would be, “to accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior.” But what does that actually mean? Can they even tell you? How much more complicated is the idea than it first seems? And why does this matter? And what happens if you keep asking questions like this? Check out this week’s discussion with Dan to find out.
If you enjoy our work, please
subscribe.Paid subscribers get bonus
content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an inviteto our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494
🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.com
Books mentioned:
📕 American Caesar: How
Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi —out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/📗 Defying Tyrants:
Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — outOctober 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-TyrantsFull tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/p/the-american-caesar-book-tour
🔗 axismundi.us
www.quo.com/SWAJ
- Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 monthswww.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40%
off the Vantage Subscription!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 min - The Plan to Call Democrats' Win A "Coup" Is Already in Place + 5 Midterm Stories to Watch
On Election Day, Brad Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor walk through what they’re watching on voting day and in the weeks after. The focus is religion, politics, and the echoes of January 6th, including how an electoral loss could be framed as illegitimate before results are even certified.
What they cover:DOJ election monitors. The DOJ has reportedly sent about 1,000 monitors to counties with large Black and Democratic populations, including Shelby County (Memphis) and Prince William, Fairfax, and Charlottesville in Virginia. Taylor says the pro-democracy side has prepared with its own monitors and lawyers on call, and that the tactic is predictable. The bigger risk would be an attempt to seize ballots.Black turnout surge. They cite a Politico piece reporting that over a quarter of Black Southerners had voted six days before the election, a rate above the overall electorate. In 2022 Black turnout trailed by three points at the same stage, and in 2024 by six. They tie the surge to anger over redistricting efforts in Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Taylor adds that Mike Madrid predicts four or five of Texas’s five redrawn districts could flip Democratic, and says he saw unusually heavy turnout at his own polling place.Delegitimization campaigns. Taylor describes a shift from ordinary attacks to claims that candidates are illegitimate or “not real Americans.” He points to Trump’s rhetoric about Abdul El-Sayed (Michigan), the attacks on Mary Peltola (Alaska) over the two-Dan-Sullivans ballot issue, and the “fake Christian” attacks on James Talarico. His worry is that propaganda built up over time creates pressure not to certify results or not to seat winning candidates.Predictions and warnings. Onishi predicts a media push between now and January 3 saying that Peltola, El-Sayed, and others can’t be seated.Onishi predicts a Democratic House majority in the 225 to 245 range and argues Republicans have written it off. He says the Senate is where the real stakes are: impeachment, Supreme Court vacancies, and confirmations. Taylor notes a pending effort, filed by Rep. Thomas Massie, to impeach Pete Hegseth, and that Trump couldn’t replace cabinet officials without Senate cooperation.Texas and Talarico. Both hosts argue a Talarico win would be a major symbolic blow to the religious right, because he speaks Christian language fluently and in a pluralistic way. They also cover why El-Sayed (potentially the first Muslim senator) and Adam Hamilton in Kansas matter. Taylor says they could provide a playbook for faith-forward Democrats.Tucker Carlson, Iran, and Chris Murphy. They discuss a Carlson post claiming Trump may be days from a nuclear strike on Iran’s “Pickax Mountain,” and Sen. Chris Murphy’s warnings about Iran escalation.The Intercessors for America report. Taylor explains IFA’s ties to the New Apostolic Reformation, including its live prayer call during the January 6th riot. . The hosts argue it seeds a narrative from the ground up, mirroring the top-down lies that preceded January 6th, and note the report’s own language about a “demonically inspired” coup.If you enjoy our work, please subscribe.Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.comBooks mentioned:📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-TyrantsFull tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/p/the-american-caesar-book-tour🔗 axismundi.uswww.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 monthswww.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 9 min - The Sunday Interview: He Saw Palantir’s AI Pick Targets in Gaza. Now It’s Coming to the US.
Palantir’s AI is helping decide who gets targeted in Gaza, and the same technology is already in use by US police and ICE. This week, Brad Onishi talks with Jacob Sprang, a humanitarian worker who spent about 18 months in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. He also worked in Sudan and Ukraine, and he sat on the executive committee of the INGO Forum and the Humanitarian Country Team.
Chapters (approximate)
- 00:00 Intro: Palantir, Lavender, and the Israeli military
- 04:00 Spring’s background in humanitarian work
- 06:00 What AI targeting looks like on the ground
- 08:50 How a point-based system flags people
- 12:40 COGAT’s three categories of “Hamas”
- 15:20 Taking the human out of the decision
- 17:50 “AI slop” as human slop
- 19:50 Geo-fenced SMS warnings and Maven
- 24:40 Data as the price of aid
- 29:10 The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation
- 38:40 Planned communities and manufactured scarcity
- 43:20 Why Spring came home
- 50:00 Palantir, ICE, and surveillance in the US
- 56:50 NSPM-7, “domestic enemies,” and the shrinking protected class
- 1:00:00 Closing thoughts
Guest
Jacob Sprang is a humanitarian worker. He is writing about his experiences on Substack. https://substack.com/@jakesprang
If you enjoy our work, please subscribe.
Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494
🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.com
Books mentioned:
📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/
📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-Tyrants
Full tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/p/the-american-caesar-book-tour
🔗 axismundi.us
www.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months
www.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 9 min - Weekly Roundup - Midterm Eve: “Non-Citizen” Voting Claims, Blocking Muslim Members, and Trump’s Fixation on Men’s Bodies
The midterms are Tuesday. Brad Onishi and Dan Miller give their read on what could happen, then cover the plans being set up for the weeks after.
In this episode:
1. The midterm outlook. Where Brad and Dan think things stand, why Trump’s switch to “tele-rallies” may signal worry inside the GOP, and why Brad says the only thing that matters now is getting people to vote.
2. The “non-citizens voted” campaign. Nearly 600 high-profile right-wing accounts, podcasts, and outlets have published more than 7,000 statements questioning the election’s integrity this year, with the focus now on non-citizen voting. Brad and Dan look at how big “alleged” numbers get headlines while the checked numbers, like a claim of about 190,000 in California that shrank to about 28, rarely get repeated. They also discuss why courts may respond faster this time.
3. The plan not to seat Democrats on January 3. Trump, Sen. Bernie Moreno, and Rep. Keith Self have each argued that certain Democrats, including Muslim and DSA-aligned candidates, shouldn’t be sworn in. Brad ties this to the Center for Renewing America and Russ Vought. Dan explains why a religious test for office conflicts with the Constitution. They also play Sen. Chris Murphy’s answer on CNN and discuss whether centrist Democrats could be pulled into the argument.
4. Hegseth’s spiritual advisor. A CNN report on Ryan Higgins, a senior spiritual advisor to Pete Hegseth, who called LGBTQ people a “satanic cult,” said there is no separation of church and state, and called abortion “demonic human sacrifice.” Dan and Brad connect it to Doug Wilson and to how Hegseth has brought religion into the Pentagon.
5. Netanyahu’s claims of election fraud. After a deadlocked election, Likud shared claims of fraud at Arab polling stations with no evidence offered, which Dan describes as exporting Trump’s election-denial playbook.
6. Trump’s fixation on men’s bodies. Dan goes through Trump’s recent comments on Husted, Rick Jackson, and argues that the underlying idea is that for MAGA traditional masculinity qualifies someone for office.
7. Reasons for hope. A Fox News interview clip, and Dan’s read on why the Trump campaign may be running out of energy.
If you enjoy our work, please subscribe.
Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494
🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.com
Books mentioned:
📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/
📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-Tyrants
Full tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/p/the-american-caesar-book-tour
🔗 axismundi.us
www.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months
www.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 7 min - It's In the Code Ep. 212: Is God Eternal? (Part 2)
The affirmation that God is eternal, that God exists outside of time and is unaffected by it, has been central to orthodox Christian teaching for centuries. But it brings other questions with it. How can God act in the world, as Christians also teach? How can we possibly avoid the logic of determinism that follows from the claim that God knows all future events, decisions, and actions? What answers have Christians offered in response to these questions? Are they convincing? What if they are not? Join Dan for this week’s episode to find out.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
32 min - GOP's Desperate and Dangerous Midterm Closing Message + MAGA Wants A Dictator in Brazil
MAGA influencers are calling for a coup in Brazil after Lula's win. Brad Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor explain why that matters for the U.S. midterms, and for the weeks between Nov. 3 and Jan. 3.
With the midterms days away, we connect Brazil's election to the rhetoric about "illegitimate" Americans, and to what a contested result could look like here.⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Midterms, Brazil, and why they're connected1:35 Brazil's runoff and the MAGA meltdown6:23 Why Brazil and U.S. politics are intertwined9:53 Bolsonaro in prison and the rule of law12:01 From "rigged" to "Maduro treatment": the escalation ladder16:28 What Brazil's accountability shows, and what it doesn't24:35 Hungary, Serbia, Israel: are far-right wins slipping?31:28 Trump on a "rigged" Brazil, and Minnesota35:56 Vance, El-Sayed, and "remigration" rhetoric43:16 Greg Abbott and the "Sharia law" attack47:18 Three ways to delegitimize election winners: communist, false religion, foreign51:41 Clip of the week: Trump, Christianity, and "saving God"58:35 Matt's book tour and upcoming eventsIf you enjoy our work, please subscribe.Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.🔔 Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.comBooks mentioned:📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-Tyrants🔗 axismundi.uswww.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 monthswww.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!#MAGA #Midterms2026 #BrazilLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 4 min - The Sunday Interview: The War on Empathy, Gen Z, and America’s Political Divide with Dr. Melissa Deckman
In this episode of the Straight White American Jesus Sunday Interview, host Leah Payne speaks with political scientist Melissa Deckman about 2026 PRRI’s American Values Survey and what it reveals about religion, political power, and American identity. With Americans increasingly pessimistic about the economy and concerned about threats to democracy, Deckman examines whether dissatisfaction is fracturing Trump’s coalition—and whether it will translate into changes at the ballot box.
Melissa Deckman is CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and a political scientist who studies how gender, religion, and age shape American public opinion and political behavior. She is the author of The Politics of Gen Z and Tea Party Women.
For Subscribers
Payne asks Deckman what religious stories she would advise each party to tell. They discuss the appeal of biblical language rooted in compassion, the rise of pastor-candidates, and the opportunities and constraints facing religious messaging across the political spectrum.
Find Dr. Melissa Deckman at Melissa Deckman.com, or on Bluesky and find Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) at PRRI.org
Find Dr. Leah Payne at drleahpayne.com, subscribe on Substack, follow her on most social media platforms at @drleahpayne, listen along at Spirit & Power: Charismatics & Politics in American Life and Rock that Doesn’t Roll: The Story of Christian Rock, and read along: God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music.
If you enjoy our work, please subscribe.Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community, and access to the Axis Daily Brief.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494
🔔Subscribe - Substack: www.axismundi.substack.com
Books mentioned:
📕 American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords Are Turning America into a Monarchy by Brad Onishi — out September 15: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/
📗 Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor — out October 6: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798341900370/Defying-Tyrants
Full tour dates: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/p/the-american-caesar-book-tour
🔗 axismundi.us
www.quo.com/SWAJ - Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months
www.groundnews.com/SWAJ 40% off the Vantage Subscription!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
37 min
About Straight White American Jesus
From the publisher's feed
An in-depth examination of the culture and politics of Christian Nationalism and Evangelicalism by two ex-evangelical ministers-turned-religion professors. If you have ever wondered what social and…
historical forces led white evangelicals to usher Donald Trump into the White House this is the show for you. As former insiders and critical scholars of religion, Dan Miller and Bradley Onishi have a unique perspective on the Religious Right. Guests have included Chrissy Stroop, R. Marie Griffith, Janelle Wong, Randall Balmer, Katherine Stewart, and many others.
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