(Reviewed by JD Jung)
When I finished reading American Caesar, I found myself thinking that this book is about much more than the possibility of an American Caesar. Bradley B. Onishi examines a movement that is working to fundamentally reshape American society—one that threatens not only democratic institutions, but also racial, ethnic, and gender equality.
Onishi became an evangelical Christian as a teenager and preached his first sermon in 1996 as a sophomore in high school. In the 1990’s they still sought to convert people, but they also embraced racial and ethnic diversity. However, this has all changed.
Onishi traces the growing alliance among Christian Reconstructionists, reactionary Catholics, and technology billionaires. He argues that their vision goes beyond rejecting democracy: it embraces a hierarchy in which white Christians hold greater power and diversity is viewed as something to be eradicated rather than celebrated. He examines multiple figures in the movement including Peter Thiel, Kevin Roberts, Doug Wilson, Stephen Wolfe, and J.D. Vance, as well as the influence of Project 2025. He also includes quotes and writings of these influential people.
What disturbed me most was the potential impact on society. This isn’t simply about who occupies the White House. It’s about who gets to decide what families should look like, what women can do, whose religion has authority, and whose voices matter. Most of those and others mentioned have concluded that the only way for society to move forward is to cultivate elites who will destroy American institutions and influence the population. They believe that morality and the “common good” is more important than individual liberty.
My one criticism is that Onishi occasionally gets too deep into the details. Still, American Caesar is a powerful warning about Christian nationalism, white supremacy, authoritarianism, and the erosion of democratic values. I found it both disturbing and important—and a reminder that protecting equality and democracy requires vigilance.