A Christian extremist joined Donald Trump’s Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner this week, as Turner and his staff toured the damage wrought by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. The spectacle raises concerns about what guidance Turner is receiving as he assesses the damage and plans a federal response to help California’s recovery. 

A report published Thursday by Right Wing Watch, a project of progressive advocacy group People for the American Way, spotlighted Sean Feucht traveling alongside Turner’s team. Feucht, a Christian singer, worship leader and failed congressional candidate, said in a video posted to his social media channels on Wednesday that “God has opened a massive door of opportunity” to meet with Turner and his team.

“I can’t wait for this, you know, amazing Cabinet that President Trump has put into place,” Feucht said, “and they want to support local ministries and local pastors, and they want our advice and perspective on how the government can help rebuild. … The church has a seat at the table to give divine perspective.”

In response to MSNBC’s request for comment, HUD’s head of public affairs, Kasey Lovett, claimed Feucht was not suggesting in his video that he had an “official role” advising Turner’s team and accused MSNBC of “shaming recovery efforts.”

As for an unofficial role? That appears to be an open question.

Feucht’s proximity to Turner tracks with a trend I noted last year, when I wrote about Christian nationalists celebrating their view that Trump’s election would bring an end to the constitutional separation between church and state. 

Here’s how liberal watchdog Media Matters for America describes Feucht:

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Feucht “proudly” identifies as a Christian nationalist, attacking “the progressive agenda” while asserting that conservative Christians must “take a stand for the Biblical moral law to be applied to our society.” In response to criticism that he was promoting Christian nationalism, Feucht agreed that he wants “Christians to be the only ones” in government so that God can “be in control of everything.” In a substack post, Feucht claimed, “We have seen a clear unveiling of the secular progressive agenda over America: abortion on demand up until the moment of birth, the normalization of pedophelia and child sexualization, and the castration of perfectly healthy children in the name of ‘gender-affirming care.’”

In other words, he’s a Christian extremist. Media Matters also quoted Feucht referring to his opponents as “literally Satan,” suggesting liberal policies are “satanic,” and in 2023, declaring that “we’re going to see our states hijacked with the power of God.”

Here’s video of Feucht singing with Turner and his team on Wednesday:

That an avowed Christian nationalist may have Turner’s ear as he assesses the damage and recovery needs in Los Angeles County is disturbing, particularly when you consider conservatives’ insistence upon politicizing fire aid.