Thomas Lecaque

Dec 2, 2024 | thebulwark.com | Thomas Lecaque

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FAR to find evidence of Pete Hegseth’s interest in Christian nationalism. Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense has it literally inked all over his body, and the books he has written are replete with violent Christian nationalist rhetoric.

Nov 14, 2024 | thebulwark.com | Annika Brockschmidt |Thomas Lecaque

WHEN DONALD TRUMP NAMED PETE HEGSETH, longtime host of a weekend-morning Fox News show, as his first choice to become secretary of defense, scholars of the history of the Crusades started getting calls from journalists. Most academics would welcome any opportunity to discuss their work for non-specialist audiences, but no Crusades historian wants to be called upon to explain some aspect of contemporary politics. The implications are frequently alarming.

Sep 4, 2024 | religiondispatches.org | Thomas Lecaque

As many have noted over the past few weeks—at least since his “mega-tantrum” during an Atlanta rally, as The Bulwark’s A.B. Stoddard put it—Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been behaving erratically.

Oct 18, 2023 | religiondispatches.org | Thomas Lecaque

Hamas’ October 7 attack was monstrous. Hundreds killed at a music festival along with hundreds more in their homes or on the streets. Women and children butchered on a kibbutz in the south. In response Israel launched a massive aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip, cutting off food, water and electricity to the region.

Aug 1, 2023 | plus.thebulwark.com | Thomas Lecaque

JASON ALDEAN’S “TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN” is bigger in controversy than charm. It’s not a very good song, nor a very coherent one—but it’s a culture-war hit. The song seems to glorify mob violence in service of a mythical ideal of a small town.