{
  "id": 17401688,
  "title": "This rightwing evangelical was one of Trump’s biggest backers. Why isn’t he talking about the midterms?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/this-rightwing-evangelical-was-one-of-trumps-biggest-backers-why-isnt",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T12:00:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian US",
    "slug": "the-guardian-us",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/31/lance-wallnau-donald-trump-evangelicals"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lance Wallnau, a prominent rightwing evangelical and one of Donald Trump's biggest supporters, has been notably absent from discussions surrounding the upcoming midterms. At a recent \"As One\" event in Dallas-Fort Worth, Wallnau spent his time discussing the merits of El Salvador's prison system, the importance of school boards, and the future of the movement. The midterms, only a few weeks away, received no mention during the event.\n\nDespite publicly endorsing Trump and Republican candidates, Wallnau has expressed concerns about the Maga movement's appeal to younger generations. He acknowledged the need to build a post-Trump infrastructure with leaders who will outlast the president. Wallnau also suggested focusing on local actions, such as taking over school boards and voting out city councils that support progressive ideologies.\n\nWallnau has been a vocal advocate for Trump, likening him to King Cyrus, the Persian ruler who aided the Israelites. He has even praised El Salvador's authoritarian president, Nayib Bukele, as a \"president through prophecy\" who is building a \"sheep nation.\" During the 2024 election, Wallnau founded the Courage Tour, a traveling festival of faith and politics aimed at rallying support for Trump. However, he has not replicated this strategy for the midterms.\n\nIn private, Wallnau has expressed more politically charged thoughts. He lamented the lack of a clear successor to Charlie Kirk, urging supporters to focus on building an enduring infrastructure. Wallnau encouraged followers to focus on their own lives and lifestyles, rather than solely engaging in politics. He also warned of potential political unrest in Europe, drawing parallels to current events in France.",
  "summary": "Lance Wallnau has gathered supporters to talk about Charlie Kirk and school boards – with no mention of GOP One of Donald Trump’s most influential Christian nationalist backers has privately shied away from rallying supporters for the Republican party before the midterms, instead urging them to focus their attention elsewhere – including emulating El Salvador and Poland, finding a successor for…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "‘It’s no longer affordability, it’s survivability’: Georgia Congress hopeful Maura Keller slams Trump’s Iran war ahead of midterms",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/its-no-longer-affordability-its-survivability-georgia-congress",
        "published": "2026-10-31T05:57:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "'Atmosphere of fear': Trump moves to curtail voting rights ahead of the midterms",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/atmosphere-of-fear-trump-moves-to-curtail-voting-rights-ahead-of-the",
        "published": "2026-10-31T09:40:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "Kamala Harris urges a ‘too big to rig’ turnout for the midterms and tees off on Trump",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/kamala-harris-urges-a-too-big-to-rig-turnout-for-the-midterms-and",
        "published": "2026-10-31T15:15:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Kamala Harris urges a ‘too big to rig’ turnout for the midterms and tees off on Trump",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/kamala-harris-urges-a-too-big-to-rig-turnout-for-the-midterms-and-17425829",
        "published": "2026-10-31T15:15:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}