Step 1: have US state department involved in your coup and subsequent build-up

Given how making something into a “holy war” completely removes any level of “middle ground”. Fascists just have to convince the average person that they are on the “holy” side, and are therefore “solders of God”. It is a very quick and effective way to not only take power, but to be handed power willingly. The group or at least top leadership doesn’t even need to be religious believers. Just have to play the classics and go for the cheap-pops. At which point even if there are “scandals” they just do what literally all the Evangelical (or other far-right/prosperity gospel) leaders do, and just really lean into it and just claim to have been just as weak as any other person. Then just be seen doing surface level atonement theatre. As it is only the “evil” people that must be attacked and purged. Religion can go from something that helps people, to something that most certainly can lead to WW3 real damn quick.

Least Christofascist Christian involved in Ukraine