In the heart of American democracy, a radical, structured, ambitious project is taking shape: Project 2025, conceived by the Heritage Foundation and supported by over one hundred American conservative groups. It is not simply a political platform. It is a real ideological plot, designed to guide a future Republican administration through a centralizing, nationalist and — explicitly — supremacist paradigm shift.
One of the most disturbing features of Project 2025 is the apparent institutional legitimacy with which it is presented: a plan to "make government more efficient," to "restore order" and "protect traditional values." But behind this reassuring language lies an extreme political vision, whose goal is to transform the entire world and dismantle decades of social progress, civil rights and protection of minorities.
The attack on immigration and human dignity
Among the first targets of Project 2025 are immigrants, especially the most vulnerable.
Added to this is a tightening of the categories of visas, temporary and permanent, which would affect students, skilled workers, researchers, refugees and entire families. In short, Project 2025 aims to effectively block legal immigration as well, drastically reducing the cultural openness and social plurality that have made the United States a laboratory of democracy and integration.
A theocratic and supremacist vision
In addition to its harshness on the subject of migration, what makes Project 2025 even more disturbing is its profound ideological inspiration: a Christian nationalist vision, where religion is distorted to justify discrimination, authoritarianism and cultural supremacy.
At the heart of this project we find a systematic attempt to impose a fundamentalist, anti-liberal Christian morality, which wants to rewrite history, limit the rights of LGBTQ+ people, women, ethnic and religious minorities. Project 2025 aims to create a Christianity that is not real
But be careful: this is not just an American phenomenon. Even in Europe, far-right movements and populist leaders look favorably on these models. Even in Italy there is no shortage of parties and political figures who openly admire the ideology underlying Project 2025, applauding the "Trump model" and reproposing nationalist, religious and identity-based rhetoric in our context.
In addition to its harshness on the subject of migration, what makes Project 2025 even more disturbing is its profound ideological inspiration: a Christian nationalist vision, where religion is distorted to justify discrimination, authoritarianism and cultural supremacy.
At the heart of this project we find a systematic attempt to impose a fundamentalist, anti-liberal Christian morality, which wants to rewrite history, limit the rights of LGBTQ+ people, women, ethnic and religious minorities. Project 2025 aims to create a Christianity that is not real
But be careful: this is not just an American phenomenon. Even in Europe, far-right movements and populist leaders look favorably on these models. Even in Italy there is no shortage of parties and political figures who openly admire the ideology underlying Project 2025, applauding the "Trump model" and reproposing nationalist, religious and identity-based rhetoric in our context.
The risk in Italy: the legitimization of supremacism
In our country, there are political forces that flirt with the same logic, speaking of "ethnic substitution", criminalizing immigration, attacking NGOs and calling for a return to "Christian values" as if these could be used to discriminate. This is supremacism disguised as traditionalism, which has nothing to do with true Christian doctrine.
This way of thinking has a name: white and Christian supremacy. And it is something diametrically opposed to the evangelical message.
As Catholics, we cannot remain silent
As Catholics, we have the moral and spiritual duty to firmly oppose every form of racism, discrimination and exploitation of faith. There is not, and cannot be, a Christian supremacy. Christianity is not a flag to wave against the other, but a universal call to love, justice, solidarity.
St. Paul states it clearly in his Letter to the Galatians: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). What room is there for supremacy in these words?
In our country, there are political forces that flirt with the same logic, speaking of "ethnic substitution", criminalizing immigration, attacking NGOs and calling for a return to "Christian values" as if these could be used to discriminate. This is supremacism disguised as traditionalism, which has nothing to do with true Christian doctrine.
This way of thinking has a name: white and Christian supremacy. And it is something diametrically opposed to the evangelical message.
As Catholics, we cannot remain silent
As Catholics, we have the moral and spiritual duty to firmly oppose every form of racism, discrimination and exploitation of faith. There is not, and cannot be, a Christian supremacy. Christianity is not a flag to wave against the other, but a universal call to love, justice, solidarity.
St. Paul states it clearly in his Letter to the Galatians: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). What room is there for supremacy in these words?
Pope Francis has constantly reiterated this, denouncing nationalist closures, the rejection of others, the manipulation of faith for ideological purposes. The Social Doctrine of the Church calls us to welcome, to the dignity of work for all, to the protection of migrants, to respect for human rights. Supporting policies such as those of Project 2025, or remaining indifferent to their advance, means betraying the Gospel.
But his predecessors were no less so. As Pius XII said, "The exiled family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, both emigrated to Egypt and then fled to Egypt from the wrath of the wicked king, represent a type, an example and a protector for all kinds of migrants, pilgrims and refugees of every time and place who, driven by fear of persecution or by poverty, are forced to abandon their homeland, their dear parents, relatives and dear friends and to seek foreign lands. (…), First, then, let us remember what St. Ambrose did and the words he spoke, when that illustrious pastor of Milan, in order to be able to ransom the poor who had been taken prisoner after the exile of the Emperor Valens to Adrianople, broke the sacred vessels, moved precisely by this reason, to protect the needy from material losses and to save them from imminent spiritual dangers, certainly more serious. "But who is so hard," says Ambrose, "so merciless, so iron, as to be sorry that a man is redeemed from death, a woman from the impurities of the barbarians, which are worse than death; girls or boys or infants from the pollution of idols, by which they were defiled by the fear of death? This cause, although we did not act without some reason, nevertheless we pursued it in such a way among the people that they confessed and established that it was much more convenient to save souls for the Lord than gold. "
A call to commitment
Project 2025 represents a threat in the spiritual sense. It is not a remote hypothesis, but a well-conceived plan, which finds supporters in every part of the world, including Italy. It is up to us — citizens, believers, Christians — to raise our voices. We must clearly denounce this drift, without ambiguity and without fear.
Being Christian today means defending the rights of the least, welcoming the stranger, resisting the power that oppresses. It also means rejecting every form of supremacy, whether ethnic, religious or cultural.
The future of democracy — and of faith lived with authenticity — also depends on this: on the courage to say no to a false religion made of power and fear, and yes to the Gospel of love, justice and freedom.
But his predecessors were no less so. As Pius XII said, "The exiled family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, both emigrated to Egypt and then fled to Egypt from the wrath of the wicked king, represent a type, an example and a protector for all kinds of migrants, pilgrims and refugees of every time and place who, driven by fear of persecution or by poverty, are forced to abandon their homeland, their dear parents, relatives and dear friends and to seek foreign lands. (…), First, then, let us remember what St. Ambrose did and the words he spoke, when that illustrious pastor of Milan, in order to be able to ransom the poor who had been taken prisoner after the exile of the Emperor Valens to Adrianople, broke the sacred vessels, moved precisely by this reason, to protect the needy from material losses and to save them from imminent spiritual dangers, certainly more serious. "But who is so hard," says Ambrose, "so merciless, so iron, as to be sorry that a man is redeemed from death, a woman from the impurities of the barbarians, which are worse than death; girls or boys or infants from the pollution of idols, by which they were defiled by the fear of death? This cause, although we did not act without some reason, nevertheless we pursued it in such a way among the people that they confessed and established that it was much more convenient to save souls for the Lord than gold. "
A call to commitment
Project 2025 represents a threat in the spiritual sense. It is not a remote hypothesis, but a well-conceived plan, which finds supporters in every part of the world, including Italy. It is up to us — citizens, believers, Christians — to raise our voices. We must clearly denounce this drift, without ambiguity and without fear.
Being Christian today means defending the rights of the least, welcoming the stranger, resisting the power that oppresses. It also means rejecting every form of supremacy, whether ethnic, religious or cultural.
The future of democracy — and of faith lived with authenticity — also depends on this: on the courage to say no to a false religion made of power and fear, and yes to the Gospel of love, justice and freedom.
Marco Baratto
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