Paula White, the White House’s new head of faith outreach, said: “To say no to President Donald Trump would be to say no to God.” Modern America has been split by culture wars before, in the 1960s and the 1990s. The tension building up to next year’s election poses a far greater risk to US democracy.

As Mr Trump’s chief proselytiser, Ms White’s goal is to ensure that he at least equals the 81 per cent of white evangelicals who voted for him in 2016. Without them, he cannot win. By November 2020, Mr Trump’s impeachment will be old news. The larger battle will be between white grievance and woke multiculturalism.

Democrats are making Ms White’s job easier than it might have been. Much is made of the gap between Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren on healthcare. That gulf is wide. But on cultural issues they are on the same page, as is every contender for the Democratic nomination. “This is one forum where you’re going to hear very little disagreement between the candidates,” said Mr Biden at the opening of CNN’s forum on LGBTQ issues last month.