Carrie Prejean Boller Challenges Zionism on Trump Religious Liberty Commission While Sparking Debate Among Catholics in Washington D.C.

Former Miss California and member of President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, Carrie Prejean Boller, sparked controversy by publicly stating that she does not embrace Zionism due to her Catholic faith.

The remarks came during the commission’s fifth hearing in Washington, D.C., which focused on antisemitism.

Catholic teaching, however, does not oppose Israel’s existence or the Jewish people, and the Church explicitly condemns antisemitism.

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Prejean Boller Questions Zionism

At the hearing on February 9, Boller explained, “I am a Catholic, and Catholics don’t embrace Zionism.”

She clarified that she was speaking as an individual guided by her conscience, insisting that she would not resign from the commission despite pressure to do so.

Her position directly contradicts Catholic doctrine, which recognizes the Jewish people as God’s chosen people and affirms Israel’s right to exist.

The Church distinguishes between theological interpretations and political stances, making no blanket rejection of the modern state of Israel.

Boller also posted on social media after the hearing, writing: “Forcing people to affirm Zionism on a ‘Religious Liberty’ Commission is the opposite of religious freedom.

I will not resign, and I will not be bullied for following my Catholic conscience.”

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Jewish Leaders Respond

Panelists at the hearing pushed back against Boller’s remarks.

Rabbi Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, stated, “By denying the rights of Jews to have their own state while not saying the same for any other people, that is a double standard, hypocrisy, and antisemitism.”

Yitzchok Frankel, a law student involved in litigation regarding anti-Jewish protests following the October 7, 2023 attacks, echoed the sentiment, arguing that anti-Zionism in this context amounts to antisemitism.

Boller countered that the modern state of Israel has no direct biblical prophecy significance according to her faith.

She repeatedly asked whether her views made her an antisemite, a line of questioning that the hearing’s chair, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, eventually halted.

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Catholic Voices Clarify Church Teaching

Other Catholic members of the commission offered context to Boller’s claims.

Ryan Anderson, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, cited Nostra Aetate and Pope Benedict XVI’s writings, emphasizing that Jews should not be held responsible for the death of Jesus.

Father Thomas Ferguson of Good Shepherd Catholic Church highlighted that Jesus’ sacrifice was universal, meant to atone for humanity’s sins.

Ferguson said, “If you are seeking to know God through the Scriptures of the Old Testament and the New Testament, it is not possible to be Christian and antisemitic.”

The Catholic perspective makes clear that affirming the Jewish people’s rights and Israel’s existence aligns with Church teaching and does not constitute a theological endorsement of political Zionism.

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Catholic Experts Push Back

Simone Rizkallah, director of the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism, criticized Boller’s statements, calling them “reckless, historically uninformed, and deeply misleading.”

She explained that recognition of Israel’s right to self-determination is consistent with Catholic principles, even if Catholics do not typically use the term Zionism.

Rizkallah noted the distinction between Catholic theology and some Protestant Christian Zionist frameworks, which sometimes link modern Israel to biblical prophecy.

Catholic teaching instead focuses on political legitimacy and condemns antisemitism, without claiming prophetic inevitability for the state of Israel.

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What’s Next?

The Religious Liberty Commission has faced scrutiny for how it addresses antisemitism while also navigating the religious convictions of its members.

Carrie Prejean Boller’s comments are likely to intensify debates over the commission’s approach, potentially prompting further hearings or official statements from the White House.

Observers anticipate continued discussion on balancing personal religious beliefs with public policy and educational messaging on antisemitism.

The commission has previously held hearings on religious freedom in the military, education, and broader U.S. society, signaling that this debate will continue to be part of its agenda.

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Broader Context

Boller’s remarks reflect ongoing tensions between religious conscience and political advocacy.

While the Catholic Church has long condemned antisemitism and affirmed Israel’s legitimacy, individual members sometimes interpret doctrine differently, particularly when political issues intersect with religious identity.

The discussion also occurs against the backdrop of rising concern about antisemitism in the United States, both online and in real-world incidents, making the Religious Liberty Commission’s statements and hearings a point of national attention.