Democracy Dies in DarknessReligionThe Pew Research Center poll found deep partisan gaps around questions on how much the U.S. government should embrace Christianity.May 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. EDTMay 14, 2026Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth leads a prayer alongside President Donald Trump during a dinner with state governors at the White House in February. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)The percent of Americans who say religion is gaining influence in the United States is at its highest level in a quarter-century, according to a new poll that reveals complex and politically polarized views about whether that influence is good or bad and what it means.