Skip to main content
The Latest

Tornadoes, Electoral Votes, and the Narcissism of a 'Prophet'

In early April, MAGA pastor and self-proclaimed “prophet” Hank Kunneman endorsed(link is external) a right-wing effort to get the Nebraska legislature to change the way the state allocates its electoral votes. Kunneman even made his church in Omaha available to right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who organized a rally in support of his campaign(link is external) to pressure the Nebraska legislature to change the system explicitly for the benefit of Donald Trump(link is external).

More than two weeks later, a devastating outbreak of tornadoes(link is external) swept across the Midwest and, predictably, Kunneman thinks it was "a manifestation of the Devil," who was upset about their efforts to help Trump.

Kunneman has been one of the most obstinate of the self-proclaimed “prophets” who repeatedly guaranteed(link is external) that Trump would win reelection in 2020. In the years that President Joe Biden has been in office, Kunneman has petulantly refused to apologize(link is external) for his false prophecies or even admit(link is external) that(link is external) Biden is president(link is external), instead promising that God will reward(link is external) those who stand with(link is external) him while attacking(link is external) those who have dared to criticize him.

During a recent "Prophetic Pulse" program(link is external), Kunneman asserted that the two things were obviously connected because Lincoln, Nebraska, was hit particularly hard(link is external) and that is where the state legislature sits.

"You gotta remember something that was happening," Kunneman said. "There had been legislative arguing going on about winner-take-all, the electoral [vote] being changed. It's no coincidence that within a week of that being discussed that this thing shows up in Lincoln."

"I think they're connected because you're going to see from one of [Kunneman's] prophecies, God talks about 'tornadic,' and then he says, 'Even regarding your election process,'" Kunneman added. "You say 'Well, the Devil and the weather, he can't create.' No, but he can use things."

For the record, the Nebraska legislature adjourned on(link is external) April 18 without taking up(link is external) the issue of the state's electoral vote system, which was more than a week before the tornado occurred. In addition, the tornado that struck Lincoln was part of widespread storm system(link is external) that spawned tornadoes in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.

Despite the fact that the tornado occurred long after the rally at Kunneman's church and after the state legislature had adjourned without taking action, and that the tornado was just one of at least 92 that spawned that day, Kunneman is convinced—or is at least trying to convince his followers—that this natural disaster was really a "manifestation of the Devil" brought about by his efforts to change the election process to help Trump.

Every day, Right Wing Watch exposes extremism to help the public, activists, and journalists understand the strategies and tactics of anti-democratic forces—and respond to an increasingly aggressive and authoritarian far-right movement. The threat is growing, but our resources are not. Any size contribution will help us continue our work and become more effective at disrupting the ideologies, people, and organizations that threaten our freedom and democracy. Please make an investment in Right Wing Watch’s defense of the values we share.