What follows is the post I made on Facebook on January 17. I want to introduce it here a bit to clarify a few things. First, this was addressed specifically to real-life friends who defend everything Trump does and believe his “rough edges” are in fact good things. I have many friends who voted for Trump as what they perceived as the lesser of two evils, and while I am SO grateful for their perspectives too, if you do not self-identify as MAGA, then chances are good you are not the ones I was specifically speaking to. 😉 Even so, I want to share my own perspective and invite yours, because your matters–whether you were my “target audience” here or not.
Unlike the Facebook post, which got TOTALLY out of hand, I intend to moderate any comments here completely, which means things that show the commenter to be mildly-upset will be let through but I reserve the right to chime in to invite you to see a different perspective (you don’t have to agree with it, but please try to understand it, if you’re engaging), and shouting or name-calling comments will either not be approved to begin with or be deleted as soon as I see them). And if you just don’t want to comment at all, I get. If this comment sections remains a ghost-town, that’s fine. 😉
I also want to take a moment to note that this was my first (and perhaps last, LOL) viral post on social media. It got about 800K views by the time I’m posting this, with a little under 3K comments (this number includes comments on shares, not just on my post itself on my page), and over 400 shares. Way higher than anything I’d seen before. And while I know it only did that because it was dealing with political things, I am still grateful that my “once in a lifetime” viral post was on something that matters and not a cat video. 😉 (I’m not dissing cat videos. I love them.) I also want to note that I’m blown away by the number of international viewers who reached out privately and/or commented, most of whom had no idea how I ended up in their feed. But I saw people from England, Scotland, Denmark, Australia, Germany, Sweden, and New Zealand…and there were several who mentioned being not-US but whose country of origin I didn’t actually see.
Which I mention solely because they all said that this conversation–not the viewpoints, but the fact that we were having an earnest conversation–was the first thing they’d seen out of the US to give them hope that we’ll survive this current storm. That touched me. And gave me hope too.
One final note–that I’m adding some notes. Footnote style. Just things to provide you with the source to which I’m referring. If I’m bringing them up, it’s because it was part of the conversation I’ve had in years past with people who matter to me on these subjects. I’m not claiming you, particularly, claim them. Rather, I’m claiming that they’re part of what I was told. (I did not include these in the original post for the sake of length.)
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Hey, MAGA friends—do you have a minute? I need to talk through some things.
The last couple nights, I’ve been lying awake, honestly upset to the point of tears, after seeing some memes and posts shared here (edited to add: these were not worried, anxious thoughts and tears. They were tears of sorrow, and this “upset” led to a burden to put words to it…and when Roseanna the Writer feels a burden to words to something, she inevitably ends up doing it in the middle of the night, LOL)1. And I need to hear your actual thoughts so I avoid making any wrong assumptions. I want to say this clearly up front: I love you. In real life, you’re my family, my friends, my neighbors, my book-club people. You matter to me. Your viewpoints matter to me.
I usually live by “don’t talk politics, and for the love of all that’s holy, don’t argue on Facebook.” But I think we’re past the point where that works. I don’t understand some things, and I suspect you don’t fully understand my perspective either. I genuinely believe we’d all be better off if we talked—really talked. If Facebook isn’t the place, fair enough. Email me. Call me. Let’s even get dinner with the goal of having these conversations. Because they’re important.
I need to be honest: when it comes to our current political situation, I feel betrayed. Many of you are the people who raised me, who taught me how to follow Christ. You’re my people. (And for context, if you don’t know me in real life, I’m the stereotypical Conservative Christian woman—I’m a white, rural Republican from West Virginia. I hold traditional views on marriage and gender. I’ve been married 25 years. I homeschooled. I don’t drink, curse, or do drugs.)2
And I am deeply dismayed.
You taught me in the ’90s not to trust politicians without character. You taught me that a man who lies, mocks, and disgraces his office should not lead.3 You taught me to vote my conscience—which is why I didn’t vote for Trump, even back in 2016. Back then, many of you said, “He’s a baby Christian.”4
That was nearly a decade ago.
True new Christians grow—remember that parable about the seed and the soil? You taught me the fruits of the Spirit to watch for—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.5 Please help me understand: do you honestly see those fruits being modeled now? Not just by the president, but by the broader movement? I see crosses worn publicly and prayers posted online—but I also see open contempt, hatred, mockery, aggression, pride, and a startling lack of self-control.
Don’t tell me you’re a Christian with your T-shirts or jewelry. Show me you’re a Christian by your love.
Which brings me to what started all of this: how we’re talking about immigrants.
One of you shared a meme saying you voted for Trump to “take out the trash.” Please—help me understand. Are we talking about people? Because the kind of things we throw away as trash are rotten, disgusting, beyond worth. And even if you mean “unnecessary clutter,” I don’t believe you would ever look a person in the eye and tell them they’re unnecessary.
Yet we’re saying it about an entire group.
I’ve heard it said: “If they’re here legally, they’re fine. If not, they’re criminals and they’ve got to go.” But here’s the problem—the government keeps changing what ‘legal’ means. People who entered the country lawfully, under one administration’s rules, have had their status revoked by another’s executive order. Refugees. Families. People still in active legal processes with legal statuses.6
Are they suddenly “trash”?
I know we all agree violent criminals shouldn’t be on the streets. That’s not the debate. The issue is the use of blanket terms. It’s shifting laws. It’s a system that punishes people who followed the rules—and then calling concern about that “fake news” and “the liberal agenda.” I’m not liberal by any stretch of the imagination—and please don’t even DARE suggest I don’t know how to read and research. If you know me even a little, you know them be fightin’ words to a historical novelist. 😉
And here’s the thing: I don’t think we actually disagree on whether innocent people being brutalized is wrong. I think we agree it would be horrific—if it’s true. The question is whether we’re willing to believe uncomfortable truths, or whether we drown them out because they don’t fit our narrative. History gives us sobering examples of what happens when Christians choose the latter.
I’ll offer this about myself, since I’m asking for honesty from you. Last year, when Roe was overturned, I went looking for data to prove my side right. Instead, I found evidence that strict abortion laws increase abortions. I didn’t like it—but I had to reckon with it. I didn’t change my belief that life is sacred. I changed my conclusion about the system I thought would protect it.7
That’s what I’m asking for here—not a change of core values, but a willingness to examine whether the systems we support are actually producing the good we say we want.
I am not here to pick a fight. Conflict literally makes me feel sick to my stomach, and I’ve got enough of that dealing with chemo. 😉 I’m here because I believe something is broken in the unity of the Church, and I don’t think silence fixes it.
I believe we still share core principles. I believe our disagreements are about how to live them out. And I believe we owe it to each other—as Christians, as friends, as family—to talk honestly, humbly, and without name-calling or fear.
I’ve laid my heart on the table. Please tell me where I’ve misunderstood you. Please correct me where I’m wrong. Let’s start a real conversation—and see where we can go from here.
Footnotes:
1 See my post “A Time to Speak” (https://www.roseannamwhite.com/2026/01/a-time-to-speak.html)
2 To be totally accurate, this is my “historical” place, where I’m coming from, what informs and shapes my opinions. Because of what I go on to explain, I’ve undergone a lot of change. And am really just trying to disentangle my identity from ANY identity politics. Again, see the same post mentioned above.
3 I was born in 1982, so the “era” I best remember from my childhood is the Clinton era. In my particular circles, I remember many conversations about how a president should not even let himself be impeached but should rather resign if it comes down to that, to keep from disrespecting the office of President. That it didn’t matter what Clinton did for the economy, because he was not a man of character. As I approached my eighteenth year (in 2000, if you don’t feel like doing the math) when I would register to vote, I had been 100% taught to vote my conscience based not just on political issues but on the politicians. Not because any political candidate would ever be perfect (we all know that’s impossible), but because someday I will have to stand before God and answer for what my vote supported and what they did as public servants. Yeah, it’s a lot of pressure, LOL.
4 “James Dobson Says Paula White Led Donald Trump to Jesus Christ” (https://www.christianpost.com/news/james-dobson-says-paula-white-led-donald-trump-to-jesus-christ.html) This article was quoted as the reason many people I know in real life felt “permission” to vote for Trump.
5 In Matthew 7:16-20, Jesus tells us we will know believers by the fruit they produce. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul lists that fruit.
6 Sharing statements from a Christian ministry devoted to refugees that a trusted friend has volunteered with in Minneapolis, Arrive Ministries. This is their Jan 20, 2026 post.
7 I talk a bit more in-depth about this in my post “Grappling.” https://www.roseannamwhite.com/2025/05/grappling.html
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
Roseanna, I was so thankful when I read your post to know that I am not the only one who feels this way! I get so discouraged sometimes watching the news and seeing where our country is headed, but I try to remember that the Lord is ultimately in control and to place my trust in Him.
Thank you for speaking out and speaking the truth in love. You continue to be in my prayers.
Roseanna, thank you for your thoughtful and inspiring commentary and responses. I have a feeling you can see the similarities in how H*tler had a plan to make Germany great again. The reports of some of the ICE’s behavior is so similar to the Na*zi soldiers it gives me the chills.
Prayers for you, dear one.
I am a first-time reader of your books. I just started The Collector of Burned Books and liking it very much. I guess you could call me MAGA. I am Jewish and so ashamed of the Jews in politics who never speak up for Jewish causes. And now all we hear is this one’s a Nazi and that one’s a Nazi. Disgusting! Comparing Republicans to Nazis and illegals to Ann Frank. I lost family in the Holocaust and so it’s hard to find tolerance for these people. I don’t have your faith but I wish I did. I respect Trump as imperfect as he is because he loves this country and us and did not come into politics to get rich. What he has gone through at the hands of the Democrats is so awful. I really can’t find much good in Liberals especially the ones who love to troll me. I am not a sheep. I will not be a Democrat because I am a Jew and supposed to be. I will never understand Jewish Democrats!
Sandy, thank you so much for commenting! What I have learned through these conversations in recent weeks is that people on both sides (whatever their faith) are having a really difficult time understanding how there could be people on the other side who claim the same faith. You are definitely not alone in that bewilderment, and it’s honestly this very thing that I’m hoping we as a people can work through. We will have different politics–that’s honestly fine and great. But how do we reopen communication with each other? How do we get back to a place where we can respect that different ways of prioritizing good things is what allows all those good things to receive the attention they deserve? It’s hard, especially when people deliberately (or seemingly deliberately) attack us. There are a LOT of things I don’t like about both political parties right now, honestly…but when I take the time to talk to the people earnestly, to understand where they’re coming from, I’m finding that the things we do have in common are much more than I’d thought, and it’s easier to understand them than I assumed. Removing that “us vs. them” tribalism isn’t easy…but it’s worth it!
Hello Roseanna, I found your books about three years ago and have devoured them. I started following your FB page when I read about your cancer diagnosis. I am praying for your complete recovery.
I am also a Christ follower and former homeschooling Mom, a few years older than you. My political leanings are based on my Biblical beliefs. I would never call myself MAGA, but I did vote for Trump 3x because the policies that come from his administration both more closely align with my beliefs and allow more constitutional freedom. Based on Trump’s recent comments it is obvious he isn’t a Christian (ie hoping his work toward a peace deal earns him a spot in heaven, we can’t earn our way to heaven, it’s only through believing and accepting Christ’s work on the cross). All of this to say, in your post you infer that those who voted for Trump justify it with “he’s a Christian”. I personally don’t know one person who voted for Trump that has said this. Everyone I know who voted for him, did it because of the policies that would come about from his administration.
However, my reason for commenting is I have several questions from your post:
1) You mention that the people who posted these horrific memes (again, the vast majority of my FB page is filled with Christian conservatives and not one of those memes was in my thread) are people you know and love. If that’s the case, why didn’t you reach out to them directly and ask them why they posted it? My kids would call this a passive aggressive way of dealing with it. And personally I find it offensive that you would think everyone who voted for Trump needs to be addressed in the same manner.
2) You mentioned that you wrote your post in the middle of the night like the ideas for your novels. However, your novels go through many different edits. What was the reason for posting this immediately instead of waiting a few hours and rereading/editing it?
3) You also mention you read several different news sources – good! Do you also read/listen to Christian thought leaders? I’m thinking specifically of John Stonestreet (Breakpoint podcast) and Al Mohler (The Briefing podcast). I also highly recommend The World and Everything in It.
4) What parts of Project 2025 do you disagree with?
5) I found the most concerning statement in your post regarding Roe. Do you believe it would be better if Roe had not been overturned?
You are correct that you took a huge risk as an author in writing this piece. It will be hard for me to read your books in the future and not think, “well, I know what she thinks of my decisions and discernment based on her post.” I would encourage you to talk face to face with the people you feel betrayed by instead of making a blanket statement to all people who voted one way.
Thank you for reading my thoughts and questions.
Hello, Anna! Thank you SO much for your prayers, and I always love meeting other homeschool moms!
First, allow me to say again that I know not everyone who voted for Trump is saying the things that had disturbed me so deeply. Though as per the note and link I added here, back before the 2016 election, prominent Evangelical thought leaders did indeed testify to Trump’s being a Christian, and that came up in many conversations I’d been party to both in person at church and in online groups I’m a member of. This was indeed what gave many people I know “permission” to vote for him, so I wanted to address it. Though obviously, that doesn’t mean my experience or acquaintances are yours. =) Though even without that, do you agree that the Republican party has claimed to represent Christianity in recent decades? Much of the distress that I’ve felt and that I’ve seen many other people of faith claim too is that when a political party CLAIMS a faith or to represent that faith, then they ought to be held to the standards of said faith. Of course, you could well disagree with that! Again, just my feelings.
1.) First, I am so glad your feed is NOT filled with those memes! Seriously, truly. Mine is, and from people I both know personally and people I know from author groups, which means there are a lot of them. Which, in turn, means a lot of people seeing them (though again, I’m glad you’ve avoided it!). Something I prayed about and considered for more than a year was whether/if there ever came a time to speak out publicly about such a thing. And God made it very clear to me that if I was angry, then no. I was not to say anything. But when I reached a place of sorrow, that was different. Because I now have the heart to learn–and could invite others to do the same. I understand why that might appear passive-aggressive to you, though truly, it came from an earnest desire to understand, and the thousands of comments on the original FB post helped me to do that. I am grateful, and the hundreds of people (whether they agreed with me or not) who found a safe place to talk through their own thoughts without fear of attack and thanked me for that did assure me that this risk was a good one to have taken.
2.) I did wait hours. =) I wrote, rewrote, prayed over it, had my husband read it, prayed over it again… I spent about eight hours on the post before posting it.
3.) I do indeed listen to/read many different Christian thought leaders, yes. =)
4.) Project 2025… I’m not a fan of a plan that calls for the overreach of the executive branch and the dismissal of the other two branches of government designed for checks and balances, and that’s what much of the Project focuses on; appointing loyalists instead of experts, for example. As a historian and Constitution defender, my opinion is that this leads to bad news, especially because if we set the precedent for giving one man that much control, it means the next man (who will likely be from “the other side”) can do the same. Which means it’s only a matter of time before “we” are under attack.
5.) I think Roe was bad law and I’m glad it was repealed. I also don’t think the law itself is the true “fix” to the very real problem. That’s all I was saying there–that when looking at data from the last few decades, stricter enforcement leads to MORE, not fewer abortions, which I find troubling–it does not make me think abortion is a good or that the law was good. It DOES make me think that the “easy” answer of “just change the law” will not actually solve the root problem. Again, the data did not make me change my principles, it made me ask what we actually need to do to save more lives…and based on data from before the repeal (because that’s what we had available at the time when I was looking into this), the answer was “care for the mothers and make them feel safe.”
I do know I took a risk. And again, these conversations have helped me understand the many reasons people voted for Trump. They have helped me understand those who do consider themselves MAGA (which you do not, as you said), those who voted one way despite seeing major flaws, those who are where I am, those who always considered themselves liberal… I NEEDED to understand and open a conversation, so I started by being vulnerable with my own thoughts. I’m sorry if my methods disappointed you. My prayer was that open dialogue could begin to heal the divide between us. I am seeing that happen in many cases and am grateful, but even so, I’m sorry it didn’t feel that way to you. I do truly value your perspective and your input and am grateful you took the time to respond!
Roseanna, I was so glad to read your blog. I am an almost 70-year-old woman raised in Pentecost in the South. West Virginia, actually. I live in Ohio now and attend an Assembly of God Church. Wonderful churc, wonderful pastor, wonderful people. But I have struggled with all the things that you’ve talked about here. Within my family, within a prayer group to which I belong at church, within a women’s life group I lead saying anything negative about Trump is heretical. I keep my mouth shut because, like you, I try and stay away from political things. Along with that, our previous pastor always said “You can never changed anyone’s mind by arguing with them.” I have found that to be true in my own experiences. But I have nearly stopped reading the news. Every time I do, I get heart sick. Like you, I feel betrayed by the people I should have been able to respect. I was an elementary teacher for 25 years. In 2018, I lost my job for praying with my students, which I had been doing for the entire 25 years. It had always been an open secret. In all those years, I never heard anything but thanks – even from parents who didn’t attend church. But I had made a promise to God my first year of teaching and I always knew a reckoning could come at any point. But he was with me every moment. I had support from people all over the world and especially my own community. I never tried to push my beliefs nor my politics. But I remember clearly in what I think was the 2016 election listening to my students argue about who their parents were voting for. The one thing I said to them at that point was, “Regardless of who is elected, the office of President of the United States deserves respect just for what it is.” I believed that with all my heart then, but now it feels like the office of President has been totally annihilated by the politics and personalities of the last so many years. My parents were staunch Democrats during the time when people voted their belief rather than their party. I am Republican head to toe but I have not been comfortable claiming either party for more time than I can say. I’d like to be able to speak my heart about what I truly believe, which is based fully on what the Bible says and the life that Jesus lived. I find myself crying as I’m writing this because my heart is so, so heavy. I can no longer tell what’s truth and what’s lies. My heart is broken for the immigrants that have been here since America was a safe place to come. I still believe that illegal immigrants that are coming in now are not entitled to be brought in and protected. But I believe there has to be some compassion and consideration in dealing with them. All of this would be a very unpopular opinion among my family and probably my friends that I’ve had for more than 30 years. I love them and I know that they love Jesus with all their hearts, and it is so painful to read the ugly words that they judge as acceptable based on who is saying them. My constant prayers are that God would rescue us. He is our only hope. We are desperately in need of light and Truth and Jesus IS both of those things. We are so desperately in need of Jesus. I just realized that I have so many thoughts and they are so big that I find myself struggling to express them. That’s pretty sad because I’ve been a writer all my life. So I’m going to stop here. I will tell you that I have one daughter and one son and my daughter was born in 1982 and graduated in 2000. So at least I know by your age kind of where you’re coming from. Thanks again for sharing your heart and for giving me a safe place to share mine. Have a wonderful day.
Hi, Judy! Your daughter and I are the same age! =)
Your pastor is absolutely right that we never change minds by arguing with anyone! We can, however, change our own hearts by honestly engaging with them and really considering their point of view and, in doing so, share ours as well in a way that frames it not as winning but as learning. I’m so praying we as a people can learn to do this again, that we unwrap ourselves from “identity politics” and see that faith can never be represented fully by any political party. When we admit that we ALL struggle with these debates of how to balance things, then suddenly it stops being about sides.
Like you, I think we need to have both strength and respect when dealing with people.
So sorry to hear you lost your job for praying with students. =( Especially since it sounds like you were teaching respect and dignity…something so important always!
Will this be a ghost town? I just want to say that I wish this were a perfect world, but it is not. Sometimes the ICE agents grab the wrong people – like you said – someone who has applied for citizenship and the papers are stalled. I chose a local man and his wife who were deported to Mexico to pray for daily. He should not have been sent away in my estimation as he had in his application and was working his own vineyard. His daughter runs the vineyard and visits them regularly down in Mexico. They were not sent back to Venezuela, thanks be to God!
There is a lot wrong with the system right now and some that is right. We need to pray for the right to become strong and the wrong to correct.
As for the President…well he certainly came into office with a well-planned agenda. He still has a few rough edges. I cannot comment on his Christianity as I doo not read hearts. I pray for our country every day. At my age and health I cannot do much more.
Roseanna, I pray for you. God bless your day.
LOL, well with the thousands of comments I got on Facebook, I’m not surprised that people don’t want to rehash here. 😉 But yeah, I absolutely agree. We live in an imperfect world, and both sides of anything make mistakes. We absolutely need a system, and it needs to work correctly. Laws need to be enforced, and they need to be enforced with dignity and in accordance with their own rules and guidelines. I would say (my personal opinion, so worth the proverbial two cents…in a country that no longer has a penny, LOL) that Trump has more than rough edges. He did indeed come in with an agenda and has now admitted to be following Project 2025, which I personally have issue with on the face of the thing. But that’s just my opinion. As you say, I cannot change very much–what I can change is my own heart. And I can only do that by understanding others’ hearts, so I shall continue to try to do that. =) Thank you for braving the ghost town of the comment section on this one! 😉