"The invocations have become their own political call to action, sometimes punctuated with applause lines and partisan language, invoking the same falsehoods and vindictiveness that Trump himself spreads," they write.

Gallo, Hillyard and Traylor note:

Celebrity pastors, such as Paula White and Kenneth Copeland, who preach the 'prosperity gospel,' have long stood by Trump’s side, giving him early credibility in their corner of Christianity. Now, the pastors taking the political stage across the country are most often local pastors with more immediate followings — further proof that Trump’s reach goes well beyond the television megachurches and into local congregations that were once more skeptical of a somewhat vulgar New York real estate tycoon and casino owner.

Reverend Joel Tenney of Coralville, Iowa, told "several hundred supporters" at a December rally, “We have witnessed a sitting president weaponize the entire legal system to try and steal an election and imprison his leading opponent, Donald Trump, despite committing no crime. We have witnessed a sitting president weaponize the entire legal system to try and steal an election and imprison his leading opponent, Donald Trump, despite committing no crime."

The Iowa pastor, praying that God "would help us to re-elect President Donald Trump," said the 2024 presidential election "'is part of a spiritual battle' with 'demonic forces at play.'"

According to NBC, Iowa Pastor Barney Bornhoft "prayed at the beginning of an Ankeny, Iowa, rally in December for 'a hedge of protection' around Trump, while offering something of a midprayer commentary: 'I don’t believe we have any idea the pressure that he’s under,' calling the cases against the former president 'ridiculous.'"

Bornhoft told the news outlet, on one hand, "it is awkward for a minister to take the same podium as Trump, but added: 'Part of who he is on stage kept us out of war years ago, kept us with a border that was closed.'"

He added, "There’s been a lot of presidents behind the scenes who curse, who do a lot of different things. I hate to say it this way, but the office at times requires it."

Tenney emphasized to his audience, "When Donald Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States, there will be retribution against all those who have promoted evil in this country."