National Correspondent for Mother Jones. Extremism etc. https://www.motherjones.com/author/kiera-butler/ Tips: kbutlermotherjones@proton.mehttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mu5lpzaibk2qHe called children "cum trophies." He made videos with Nazi imagery as "jokes." And he's favored to win. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/memes-and-machine-guns-how-brandon-herrera-built-a-path-to-congress/28 Aug 2026 14:39 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu5lpzaibk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mu2x2xoix22qHe's a guns YouTuber and 2A fanatic with 4.2 million followers. His district includes Uvalde. And he's favored to win. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/memes-and-machine-guns-how-brandon-herrera-built-a-path-to-congress/27 Aug 2026 13:24 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu2x2xoix22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mtykic7lvc2uNew from me: Gun YouTuber Brandon Herrrera ("the AK Guy") is poised to go to Congress from a district that includes Uvalde. 96 percent of his campaign contributions are not from his district, but rather, a dispersed network of, well, internet randos. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/memes-and-machine-guns-how-brandon-herrera-built-a-path-to-congress/26 Aug 2026 14:34 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtykic7lvc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3msvi7iqzhs2aThis is genuinely a very funny tweet from Doug Wilson. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/the-passion-of-doug-wilson/12 Aug 2026 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvi7iqzhs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3msta6nxv3c2dTHREAD: I wrote a piece about Pete Hegseth's spiritual advisor, but probably the most interesting part of the reporting to me was talking to the women in the community. I sort of expected them to be trad wives—you know, denim jumpers, butter churns, etc. but... https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/the-passion-of-doug-wilson/11 Aug 2026 18:21 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3msta6nxv3c2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3msqby2tw4k24This new one from me has been a long time coming: Pete Hegseth’s spiritual advisor wants an America dominated by “biblical masculinity.” I went over to his house for brunch. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/the-passion-of-doug-wilson/10 Aug 2026 14:15 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqby2tw4k24https://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3msdjuvmsws2bThis is the guy in charge of overhauling the Pentagon's security clearance program. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/justin-overbaugh-oh-look-another-far-right-extremist-at-the-pentagon/05 Aug 2026 12:32 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3msdjuvmsws2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3msb5ls3gjs2xI wrote about this guy, who also has kindly offered to help with a new project that aims to connect “talented young Christians” to “the institutions that shape public thought and national leadership.” https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/justin-overbaugh-oh-look-another-far-right-extremist-at-the-pentagon/04 Aug 2026 13:46 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3msb5ls3gjs2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mrunk5i4vs2yUnable to find a smoking gun in Fauci's diary, conspiracy theorists are getting, uh, creative https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/covid-truthers-are-claiming-faucis-diary-was-scrubbed/30 Jul 2026 14:27 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrunk5i4vs2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mrsdikwj7k24I wrote about the inevitable conspiracy theories being spun up around Fauci's diary. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/covid-truthers-are-claiming-faucis-diary-was-scrubbed/29 Jul 2026 16:22 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrsdikwj7k24https://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mrnu4cn5222qUgh this story is so grim and @annamerlan.bsky.social does a masterful job telling it [contains quote post or other embedded content]27 Jul 2026 21:36 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrnu4cn5222qhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mqrpjnezqc2lI wrote about Hegseth's weird new testosterone thing and how it fits in with his whole extremely online and Christian nationalist obsession with masculinity and lethality https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/the-manosphere-and-christian-nationalist-roots-of-hegseths-low-t-fixation/?_thumbnail_id=121455316 Jul 2026 17:00 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqrpjnezqc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mqre2udzz22sI wrote about Fergie Chambers' arrest in Spain. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/meet-the-multi-millionaire-pro-hamas-activist-who-was-arrested-in-spain/16 Jul 2026 13:34 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqre2udzz22shttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mqpnisdits2sNew from me: I wrote about the arrest of the far-left (as in, thinks Putin's a great guy) activist I profiled in 2024: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/meet-the-multi-millionaire-pro-hamas-activist-who-was-arrested-in-spain/15 Jul 2026 21:18 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpnisdits2shttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mpoimbhi4k2oA fun little scoop about the Christian nationalist-adjacent guy who just scored a recruitment contract with the State Department. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/the-state-departments-new-recruiting-contractor-wants-more-christian-diplomats/02 Jul 2026 16:53 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpoimbhi4k2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mpjbkfgizs2aIn which Andrew Isker, part of the techno-utopia Appalachia crew I wrote about, argues that data centers will allow us to drink more raw milk:30 Jun 2026 15:03 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpjbkfgizs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mp224tscas2zThe leader of this movement believes “Mass migration is biological warfare waged by secular globalist elites against the native Christian peoples of the West.” https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/06/the-southern-baptist-convention-was-going-mainstream-then-the-christian-nationalists-weighed-in/24 Jun 2026 13:40 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp224tscas2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mov2varuks23I wrote about a sea change in the country's largest protestant denomination. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/06/the-southern-baptist-convention-was-going-mainstream-then-the-christian-nationalists-weighed-in/22 Jun 2026 14:11 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mov2varuks23https://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mnwvazohys2iNew from me: A little context on the DOD Mormon dustup. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/06/heres-what-pete-hegseths-religion-believes-about-mormons/10 Jun 2026 14:10 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnwvazohys2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mmtmad3pf225New from me: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/05/oh-goody-a-trump-official-once-called-ebola-a-scam/27 May 2026 13:25 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmtmad3pf225https://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mknahd6bzk2aNew from @revrobschenck.bsky.social: Arminian and Reformed evangelical Christians agree on few things—but increasingly, they’re both unhappy with Trump. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/trump-maga-evangelical-crackup-pope-christian/29 Apr 2026 13:48 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknahd6bzk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mkkpbwipg22dJust a reminder that the guy behind Florida's antivax crusade is into levitating and communicating with spirits https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/florida-vaccine-exemptions-joseph-ledapo-measles/28 Apr 2026 13:35 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkkpbwipg22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mjpmgz5scs23New from me: Pete Hegseth's violent version of Christianity is even weirder than it seems https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/pete-hegseth-quentin-tarantino-pulp-fiction-ezekiel-bible-verse-violent-christian-nationalism/17 Apr 2026 19:03 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjpmgz5scs23https://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mjp6uf2vkc25As an answer to the classic “What would Jesus do?” question, “start robot wars” would be an unconventional response, to put it mildly. And yet, here we are. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/ai-religious-right-christianity-thiel-katherine-boyle-trae-stephens/17 Apr 2026 15:00 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjp6uf2vkc25https://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mjmj6n2vic2oNew from me: Tech bros have launched a campaign to convince Christians that AI is godly: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/ai-religious-right-christianity-thiel-katherine-boyle-trae-stephens/16 Apr 2026 13:26 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjmj6n2vic2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mj2wrmhwqs2iTo me the most interesting part of reporting this story was learning more about the alliance that's emerging on the intellectual religious right, between Catholics and TheoBros. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/trumps-iran-war-is-tearing-apart-his-catholic-evangelical-coalition/09 Apr 2026 13:42 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj2wrmhwqs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3miyfdou7xc2iI wrote about how the decades-old bond between Catholics and evangelicals is fraying (and the surprising new alliance could be replacing it) https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/trumps-iran-war-is-tearing-apart-his-catholic-evangelical-coalition/08 Apr 2026 13:24 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3miyfdou7xc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mgn26khdxs2lI wrote about the Christian Zionism that is quietly fueling the US attack on Iran. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/03/trumps-holy-warriors-finally-got-the-apocalypse-theyve-prayed-for/09 Mar 2026 14:15 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgn26khdxs2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/kieraevebutler.bsky.social/post/3mg3mye2vkc2aI wrote this last month explaining why some evangelical Christians have been hoping for war with Iran for a long time. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/01/the-evangelicals-who-think-irans-protests-mean-jesus-is-returning/02 Mar 2026 16:04 +0000at://did:plc:edmnddorcdvrantwgoholiep/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg3mye2vkc2a