President Donald Trump said he was saved by God at his inauguration in January.

By invoking the divine, Trump further dismantled the already fragile wall separating church and state while simultaneously trying to deify himself.

In this way, the new president appears to be paving a path to theocracy that should be raising bright red flags in a secular nation.

Trump’s inauguration was not unique historically. Since this country’s founding, inaugurations have woven religiosity into their programs. George Washington spoke of an “Almighty Being,” and since then, bringing religion into state ceremonies has become somewhat of a tradition.

But already in his new term, Trump has indicated that any religious aspects of the event were not purely ceremonial. The administration’s recent actions, including establishing a White House Faith Office specifically made to support faith-based organizations, clearly show this.

Trump said in his executive order that the Faith Office is meant to root out anti-Christian bias in the United States, although there is little evidence of such bias even existing in any significant way. He emphasized similar sentiments about threats to Christianity in the U.S. and the need for a spiritual revival in a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.

“Let’s bring religion back,” Trump said. “Let’s bring God back into our lives.”

This comes after a surge in religious extremism during Trump’s first term.

For instance, many perpetrators of the Jan. 6 insurrection identified with the Christian nationalist movement. But this extremism has also directly reshaped the federal government, with Trump nominating several justices with track records of ruling based on conservative Christian values to the Supreme Court.

The influence of religious conservatism on the government has led to major changes in the U.S., including the court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Similarly, Trump has cloaked many of his social policies in religious rhetoric, such as his recent declaration that the government will only recognize two genders. Both of these instances illustrate precedent being thrown out the window, with conservative Christian beliefs serving as justification for them.

Within the country at large, these religious ideas are reflected in a 2022 study from the Pew Research Center, which found 45% of Americans believe the U.S. should be a Christian nation.

Mark Jasa, a UCLA alumnus and former chaplain at the UCLA Lutheran Chapel, often stands on Bruin Walk with a sign that says “Religion is for the Weak.” Despite his background, he said there should be a distinct separation between religion and government. He said less division between these institutions may inhibit free speech.

“We should promote freedom to believe and do whatever you want, and insofar as everyone is free to express his or her belief,” Jasa said. “Any time a religion comes in and wants to shut down speech, I don’t want that.”

Groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State have criticized Trump’s new policies, including the creation of a task force dedicated to investigating “anti-Christian bias,” with the organization’s CEO and president Rachel Laser telling PBS the task force would be used to justify bigotry and allow the infringement of American civil rights laws.

Judah Luberto, an astronomy and astrophysics graduate student and member of the University Presbyterian Church, similarly said there should be a separation of church and state.

He also noted that the new administration has further emphasized the role of religion in the government.

This once again illustrates the violations of the new administration in terms of not abiding by secular values.

Especially during a period of rising religious extremism, exemplified by the Christian nationalist movement, having religious figures speak at political events such as the inauguration sends a message that the government’s secular principles are being abandoned.

Trump’s messaging about being saved by God, followed by his propositions to expand American territory in a fashion reminiscent of Manifest Destiny, only bolstered the religious tone of the event.

We must therefore strive to remove religious rhetoric in state events and stop using the government to promote policies related to faith.

With this in mind, it is paramount to realize that separating church and state is much easier said than done. Eugene Volokh, a professor at the UCLA School of Law, unpacked this idea by showing how thoroughly intertwined these institutions are.

“Separation between religion and the government isn’t a well-defined phrase,” Volokh said in an emailed statement. “The government gives GI Bill funding to military veterans, offering them the opportunity to study at any university, whether religious, private, secular or public; is that a lack of ‘separation’?”

But whether speaking of the inauguration less than two months ago or more than two centuries ago, the use of religious rhetoric undeniably foreshadowed major changes in our government just weeks after Trump’s inauguration. This new action could inspire an alarming precedent that merges God and government.

Ultimately, unless we aspire to a theocracy, this precedent is extremely dangerous.