Has Steve Bannon participated in Turning Point USA events and referenced Christian nationalism?

1. Who showed up and when: Bannon’s documented appearances at Turning Point stages

Steve Bannon is on the record speaking at Turning Point USA events across multiple years: he appeared at the group’s AmericaFest/AmFest sessions in Phoenix (with photographs and reporting placing him on the program) and at Turning Point’s student action summit in Tampa, which C-SPAN recorded in July 2025 ^{[2] [4] [1]}. Major outlets covering the 2025 AmericaFest/AmFest specifically listed Bannon among marquee speakers alongside figures such as Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro, signaling that his presence was part of the formal lineup rather than a peripheral appearance ^{[5] [6] [4]}.

2. What he said on stage: explicit language linking politics and Christianity

Reporting from that AmericaFest/AmFest captured Bannon using explicit language about religion and national destiny—most notably a cited line that “We have to Christianize this country,” which Newsweek reported as part of his speech at the event ^[3]. Multiple outlets covering the conference also recorded a wider set of speeches and stage moments saturated with religious rhetoric and “Make America Christian Again” branding, placing Bannon’s remarks in a programmatic context where Christian-identitarian messaging was prominent ^{[4] [7]}.

3. How reporters and scholars interpret it: Christian nationalism vs. TPUSA’s stated role

Scholars and religion reporters at outlets such as Religion News Service and the Baptist Standard described AmFest as “saturated with religion” and warned that the event’s insistence on Christian dominance over national policy “veers into Christian nationalism,” explicitly connecting the tenor of the conference—including speeches from Bannon and others—to that concept ^{[7] [8]}. At the same time, coverage notes a formal distinction: Turning Point USA’s core organization frames itself around student organizing for limited government and free markets and is not formally an explicitly Christian organization, though it operates a TPUSA Faith arm ^[7].

4. Broader patterns and actions beyond rhetoric: recruiting and mobilization

Analysis and commentary have also linked Bannon’s efforts to organize politically with faith-based mobilization, reporting instances where he advocated recruiting poll workers and working with faith-oriented networks—coverage that ties his organizing playbook to mobilizing conservative Christians at events and through allied groups ^[9]. Journalistic accounts of AmericaFest documented not just sermons but political organizing signals onstage, reinforcing why some observers read his participation as part of a strategy that blends religion and electoral activism ^{[4] [9]}.

5. Disputes, infighting, and alternative views within the movement

Coverage of the same Turning Point gatherings emphasized visible infighting among MAGA figures—Ben Shapiro publicly attacked Carlson, Bannon and others as “frauds and grifters,” and internal disputes over geopolitical priorities and tone were loudly aired onstage, underscoring that Bannon’s religious rhetoric is one contested strand among many within the movement’s public forums ^{[5] [6]}. Different outlets and commentators therefore present alternative viewpoints: some highlight the event’s Christianizing tenor and its risks for pluralism, while others or TPUSA affiliates stress broader conservative policy aims and the organization’s nonsectarian institutional description ^{[8] [7]}.

6. Conclusion: direct answer with evidentiary bounds

Directly answered: yes—Steve Bannon has participated as a featured speaker at Turning Point USA events, and his public remarks there and in related venues have included explicit calls to “Christianize” the country and rhetoric that multiple reporters and scholars link to Christian nationalism; however, the organization’s formal structure and some participants present competing narratives about whether the group is explicitly a Christian movement, creating a contested public record about intent and identity ^{[1] [3] [7] [8]}.