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Kiera Butler

@kieraevebutler.bsky.social
13K followers 652 following 208 posts

National Correspondent for Mother Jones. Extremism etc. www.motherjones.com/author/kiera-bu… Tips: kbutlermotherjones@proton.me

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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This just in, more from my unlikely foray into sports journalism with @pablo.show www.motherjones.com/politics/202... :
motherjones.com
Tim Tebow “pausing” Christian seminar promotion after our investigation
“I think the allegations are extremely serious."
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Reposted by Kiera Butler
Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 25/09/2026
Peter Thiel says the "Antichrist" will preach "peace." Now his cronies in the Trump regime are pushing "Pax Silica" ("Silicon Peace"). It's a grandiose name for AI colonialism and imperialism. 1st target: The Philippines. More from @kieraevebutler.bsky.social www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Tech Bros and the Trump administration are building an AI empire—in the Philippines
Pax Silica aims to lock up rare earths, and hand Silicon Valley the keys.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
New from me: While AI insiders are begging for a slow-down, Peter Thiel-connected Silicon Valley titans are working with the State Department on a massive new pipeline project in a deregulated zone. What could go wrong? www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Tech Bros and the Trump administration are building an AI empire—in the Philippines
Pax Silica aims to lock up rare earths, and hand Silicon Valley the keys.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I am a sports ignoramus and knew nothing about Tim Tebow till I started work on this investigation with @pablo.show into the Christian investment seminar events he speaks at like 10x/year. It was quite the introduction to him! www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh7s...
youtube.com
We Investigated the Christian "Scam" Fronted by Tim Tebow | PTFO
YouTube video by PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I had a lot of fun reflecting on my adventures with TheoBros and others in this Reddit AMA www.reddit.com/r/politics/c...
reddit.com
From the politics community on Reddit: AMA: I’m a reporter at Mother Jones covering the mainstreaming of far-right extremism. Ask me anything.
Explore this post and more from the politics community
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Hi all! I'm going to be doing a Reddit AMA in r/politics today, beginning at 11 AM. I'll be taking questions about anything I write about, including religion in politics, tech, and beyond, conspiracy ideology, and rabbit holes. See ya there.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
He called children "cum trophies." He made videos with Nazi imagery as "jokes." And he's favored to win. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Memes and machine guns: How Brandon Herrera built a path to Congress
His financial supporters live everywhere—except in his Texas district.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
He's a guns YouTuber and 2A fanatic with 4.2 million followers. His district includes Uvalde. And he's favored to win. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Memes and machine guns: How Brandon Herrera built a path to Congress
His financial supporters live everywhere—except in his Texas district.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
New 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. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Memes and machine guns: How Brandon Herrera built a path to Congress
His financial supporters live everywhere—except in his Texas district.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
This is genuinely a very funny tweet from Doug Wilson. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
THREAD: 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... www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Pete Hegseth dreams of holy war. Meet his spiritual adviser.
Doug Wilson preaches iron discipline and male dominance. One of his disciples runs the Pentagon.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
This 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. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Pete Hegseth dreams of holy war. Meet his spiritual adviser.
Doug Wilson preaches iron discipline and male dominance. One of his disciples runs the Pentagon.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
This is the guy in charge of overhauling the Pentagon's security clearance program. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Oh look, another far-right extremist at the Pentagon
He oversees defense intelligence and security agencies and helps shape military operations.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
I 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.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Oh look, another far-right extremist at the Pentagon
He oversees defense intelligence and security agencies and helps shape military operations.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Unable to find a smoking gun in Fauci's diary, conspiracy theorists are getting, uh, creative www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Covid truthers are claiming Fauci’s diary was “scrubbed”
Because of course they are.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
I wrote about the inevitable conspiracy theories being spun up around Fauci's diary. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Covid truthers are claiming Fauci’s diary was “scrubbed”
Because of course they are.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Ugh this story is so grim and @annamerlan.bsky.social does a masterful job telling it
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
I 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 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The manosphere and Christian Nationalist roots of Hegseth’s “Low-T” fixation
"We're keeping you on the leading edge of lethality.”
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
I wrote about Fergie Chambers' arrest in Spain. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Meet the multi-millionaire pro-Hamas activist who was arrested in Spain
The DOJ has called for Fergie Chambers to be extradited on charges of international money laundering.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
New from me: I wrote about the arrest of the far-left (as in, thinks Putin's a great guy) activist I profiled in 2024: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Meet the multi-millionaire pro-Hamas activist who was arrested in Spain
The DOJ has called for Fergie Chambers to be extradited on charges of international money laundering.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
A fun little scoop about the Christian nationalist-adjacent guy who just scored a recruitment contract with the State Department. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The State Department's new recruiting contractor wants more Christian diplomats
"All of a sudden you're in a position where you can have a huge influence for the rest of your life on the US government.”
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
In 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:
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
The leader of this movement believes “Mass migration is biological warfare waged by secular globalist elites against the native Christian peoples of the West.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The Southern Baptist Convention was going mainstream. Then the Christian nationalists weighed in.
The SBC appears to be making a significant course correction in the form of a sharp rightward tack.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
I wrote about a sea change in the country's largest protestant denomination. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The Southern Baptist Convention was going mainstream. Then the Christian nationalists weighed in.
The SBC appears to be making a significant course correction in the form of a sharp rightward tack.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
New from me: A little context on the DOD Mormon dustup.
motherjones.com
Here's what Pete Hegseth's religion believes about Mormons
“We would consider the Mormons to be a non-Christian faith with Christian terminology.”
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
New from me: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Oh goody, a Trump official once called Ebola a “Scam”
The same guy also downplayed January 6 🙄
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
New from @revrobschenck.bsky.social: Arminian and Reformed evangelical Christians agree on few things—but increasingly, they’re both unhappy with Trump. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Can MAGA survive the great evangelical crack-up?
One of Trump’s most loyal voting blocs may be losing faith in him.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Just a reminder that the guy behind Florida's antivax crusade is into levitating and communicating with spirits www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Florida is poised to make opting out of vaccines way easier
An eccentric surgeon general is behind a new bill to help parents exempt their children from immunizations.
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Lizzie O'Leary @lizzieohreally.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
A lil bit proud of the hed/dek combo on today’s show with @kieraevebutler.bsky.social slate.com/podcasts/wha...
slate.com
MAGA’s A.I. Schism
Ye, though I walk through the uncanny valley...
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
New from me: Pete Hegseth's violent version of Christianity is even weirder than it seems www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Why Pete Hegseth's Tarantino blunder wasn't the least bit surprising
America's defense secretary is fixated on a fringe, violent version of Christian Nationalism.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
As 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. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Tech billionaires want Christians to believe in AI
For Peter Thiel and JD Vance allies, the tech right is framing AI as a moral—even divine—mission.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
New from me: Tech bros have launched a campaign to convince Christians that AI is godly: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Tech billionaires want Christians to believe in AI
For Peter Thiel and JD Vance allies, the tech right is framing AI as a moral—even divine—mission.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
To 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. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Trump's Iran war is tearing apart his Catholic–Evangelical coalition
Once allies opposing abortion, gay marriage, and supporting Trump, the war broke them.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
I wrote about how the decades-old bond between Catholics and evangelicals is fraying (and the surprising new alliance could be replacing it) www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Trump's Iran War Is Tearing Apart His Catholic–Evangelical Coalition
Once allies opposing abortion, gay marriage, and supporting Trump, the war broke them.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
I wrote about the Christian Zionism that is quietly fueling the US attack on Iran. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Trump’s holy warriors finally got the apocalypse they’ve prayed for
Hundreds are dead. Iran is retaliating. And some of the people who helped start this war think it's going exactly as God intended.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
I wrote this last month explaining why some evangelical Christians have been hoping for war with Iran for a long time. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The evangelicals who think Iran’s protests mean Jesus is returning
"Iran will be Christian."
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
If you've ever wondered what kinds of nuclear companies the Trump administration has in mind to power all the AI data centers, I just wrote about one: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The Trump administration’s favorite nuclear startup has ties to Russia and Epstein
Also, Christian nationalism.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
“Things got weird in Coeur d’Alene after the 2016 election. But then after the Covid-19 pandemic, shit went completely off the rails.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
How extremists reconquered Idaho in the age of Trump—and how some locals are fighting back
“Who the fuck are these men?”
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Yesterday Doug Wilson, TheoBro patriarch, preached at the Pentagon. Just a reminder that he's this guy. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
I'm writing about the rapid spread of Epstein-related misinformation. If you are in social media groups where people are making unsubstantiated claims and/or confusing documented communications with uncorroborated FBI tips, please DM me or reach out on email or Signal. Contact info in my bio. TY!
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Anna Merlan @annamerlan.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Me and @kieraevebutler.bsky.social have even MORE good news and it concerns exotic varieties of pseudoscience you may not have even known exist www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
RFK’s overhauled autism committee is even worse than it looks
Kennedy has stacked another HHS panel with his fellow travelers in the anti-vaccine and pseudoscience world.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
With @annamerlan.bsky.social I wrote about RFK Jr.'s new autism committee, which includes, among others, a person who writes about “the removal of religious exemptions to vaccine mandates” and what this “means for the Body of Christ.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
RFK’s overhauled autism committee is even worse than it looks
Kennedy has stacked another HHS panel with his fellow travelers in the anti-vaccine and pseudoscience world.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
New from me: What Christian nationalism has to do with Don Lemon's arrest www.motherjones.com/politics/202... H/T @jennycohn.bsky.social
motherjones.com
The church at the center of Don Lemon’s arrest hat ties to Christian nationalism
And the "TheoBros."
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
I wrote about how in a December email to me, RFK Jr.'s HHS insisted the current South Carolina measles outbreak wouldn't get that bad—and how it has since snowballed into the biggest US outbreak since measles was eliminated. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
HHS wasn't worried about South Carolina's measles outbreak. It's now enormous.
“CDC is not currently concerned that this will develop into a large, long-running outbreak," the agency said in December.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
New from me: Last month I asked HHS about South Carolina's measles outbreak. They brushed me off, saying they weren't "concerned that this will develop into a large, long-running outbreak." A month later, it's the biggest since measles was declared eliminated. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
HHS wasn't worried about South Carolina's measles outbreak. It's now enormous.
“CDC is not currently concerned that this will develop into a large, long-running outbreak," the agency said in December.
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Julia Lurie @julialurie.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
I grew up in Minneapolis, and returned last week to find a city that felt like it was under siege—and a city coming together in a way that was unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed. Here’s my story: part scene piece, part love letter to my hometown www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
“We’re going to still be looking out for each other when they’re gone”
On the ground with the Minnesotans standing up to ICE.
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
I wrote about the Christian influencers convincing women to love ICE. Pay particular attention to the lady who says she avoids getting shot by ICE by making "nutrient dense and healthy meals" and "hanging out with my husband"
motherjones.com
Right-wing influencers want women to love ICE
"We need more stories and images showing the professionalism and compassion of ICE."
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Julianne McShane @juliannemcshane.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
Found MJ in print in its hometown… with the surprise of one of my last stories inside! 😲 A collab w the great @kieraevebutler.bsky.social 🔮🌁
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
“God’s justice against the evil rulers of Iran has already started, and he will destroy them all to restore his kingdom through Jesus.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The evangelicals who think Iran’s protests mean Jesus is returning
"Iran will be Christian."
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Kiera Butler @kieraevebutler.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
For some Christian Zionists, Iran's uprising is less about self-determination and more about Jesus (and Israel). www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
The evangelicals who think Iran’s protests mean Jesus is returning
"Iran will be Christian."
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