Trump’s Religious Commission Faces Internal Rifts

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick boots Catholic activist Carrie Prejean Boller from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission after she derails an antisemitism hearing with pro-Palestinian activism and defenses of Candace Owens.

Story Snapshot

Commission chair Dan Patrick removes Boller on February 11, 2026, for hijacking antisemitism hearing with Gaza critiques and wearing a Palestinian flag pin.
Boller defends Candace Owens, clashes with witnesses like Shabbos Kestenbaum and Seth Dillon, refusing to resign despite demands.
Tensions expose divides in Trump’s religious coalition between pro-Israel evangelicals and Catholic anti-Zionists.
Commission, created by Trump to protect First Amendment rights, presses on toward spring report without Boller.

Commission Hearing Turns Combative

During the February 9-10, 2026, hearing on rising antisemitism, Carrie Prejean Boller questioned witness Shabbos Kestenbaum about Israel’s Gaza actions. She defended podcaster Candace Owens against antisemitism accusations and clashed with Seth Dillon of The Babylon Bee. Boller wore a Palestinian flag pin, drawing immediate criticism for shifting focus from U.S. campus antisemitism to Middle East politics. Witnesses, including a priest, testified on threats to Jewish communities amid Harvard lawsuits.

Patrick Asserts Authority and Removes Boller

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, commission chair, announced Boller’s removal on February 11 via X, citing her agenda-driven disruption. Patrick emphasized the panel’s mission to address domestic religious liberty violations from the Biden era, not personal crusades. Boller posted on X refusing to resign, declaring she would “never bend the knee to the state of Israel” and criticizing Christian Zionism. Patrick defended his sole decision-making power as chair.

Boller’s Background and Appointment

Boller, former Miss California 2009 known for defending traditional marriage, converted to Catholicism in April 2025 to reject evangelical “Christian Zionism.” President Trump appointed her in May 2025 to the commission he established post-inauguration to counter Biden-era faith erosions. The panel had completed five prior hearings before this sixth on antisemitism. Boller’s post-October 2023 activism included X posts supporting Owens and critiquing Israel, despite her pro-family conservative roots.

Reactions and Disputes Emerge

Candace Owens praised Boller post-ouster, accusing the commission of “performative Zionist” tactics neutering Christianity. Boller claimed in a February 17 interview a pre-hearing intervention by Patrick and Trump adviser Paula White, insisting only President Trump holds firing authority. The White House offered no comment. Catholic Review criticized Boller’s lecturing of witnesses despite her recent conversion, citing Vatican II teachings. Her X following grew amid the controversy.

Implications for Trump’s Religious Base

The ouster highlights fractures between pro-Israel evangelicals and Catholic activists skeptical of U.S. Zionism, testing Trump’s coalition unity. Short-term, it boosts Boller and Owens’ profiles while the commission advances two final hearings and a spring report on First Amendment protections. Long-term, it signals limits on anti-Israel rhetoric in Trump administration bodies focused on American religious freedom. Jewish communities welcome the focus on domestic antisemitism threats.