Trump Admin Under Pressure To Oust Former Beauty Queen From Religious Liberty Panel After Heated Antisemitism Hearing

The Trump administration is facing mounting pressure to remove conservative pundit Carrie Prejean Boller from its White House Religious Liberties Commission after she defended antisemitic conspiracy theorist Candace Owens and demanded a Jewish witness denounce Israel’s war in Gaza during the panel’s inaugural hearing on antisemitism this week.Ms. Boller, the former Miss California USA 2009, may already be on her way out. According to right-wing commentator and Trump ally Laura Loomer, the White House is engaged in “internal discussions” over Ms. Boller’s status on the commission in light of her conduct during the hearing.Neither the Department of Justice nor the commission have confirmed the claims or responded to the Sun’s request for comment. Ms. Boller is one of 13 members of the commission.The 38-year-old beauty queen and author drew backlash this week after adopting a hostile posture toward a number of Jewish Americans called to testify about antisemitism for the hearing. The hearings are meant to aid the commission in advising the administration on promoting religious liberty. Ms. Boller, wearing a Palestinian flag pin, repeatedly challenged witnesses’ testimonies, accusing them of being too liberal with their definition of antisemitism. Ms. Boller criticized the chief executive of the Babylon Bee, Seth Dillon, for suggesting that Ms. Owens was antisemitic, insisting: “She’s not an antisemite. She just doesn’t support Zionism.” She also questioned why Mr. Dillon kept mentioning Ms. Owens and conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson.When Mr. Dillon retorted that “they’re the two most famous antisemites,” Ms. Boller grew irate, stating, “There you go again. I guess everyone’s an antisemite.”Ms. Owens regularly promotes conspiracy theories about Jews on her podcast show and Mr. Carlson has platformed several Holocaust deniers, including self-avowed antisemite Nick Fuentes. About an hour and a half into the hearing, Ms. Boller disclosed that she had tallied the number of times Israel was mentioned in the discussion. “Since we’ve mentioned Israel a total of 17 times, are you willing to condemn what Israel has done in Gaza?” Ms. Boller asked Jewish advocate Shabbos Kestenbaum. “You won’t condemn that? Just on the record.”Ms. Boller went on to share her own positions on Israel, stating that “Catholics do not embrace Zionism,” before asking the panel, “If I don’t support the political state of Israel, am I an antisemite, yes or no?” She also asked them whether they would consider her an antisemite because she believes Jews killed Jesus.Following the hearing, Mr. Kestenbaum expressed surprise at Ms. Boller’s antagonism. “I’m shocked that you would abuse the trust of President Trump and his Commission instead of focusing on how to elevate religious liberties, fixate on a foreign conflict in the Middle East,” he stated on X. “If you are not planning on helping young Americans such as myself fight for religious liberties then I encourage you to give your seat to someone who will.” The chief executive of StopAntisemitism issued a similar call. “Boller’s disturbing anti-Israel rhetoric and the encouragement she provides to antisemites like Candace Owens constitute a red line — she has no place on the White House Religious Freedom Commission, and we call on the chairman, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, to remove her,” Meliora Raz told Israel Hayom.Members of the Jewish community aren’t alone in expressing outrage. The president of Vice President Mike Pence’s public policy organization, Advancing American Freedom, joined the chorus.“From one Catholic to another: nobody is upset with you for your Catholic faith,” Tim Chapman stated on X. “You hijacked the Religious Liberty Commission meeting by attacking supporters of Israel — and you coordinated the hit with some of the most noxious anti-semites on the ‘new right.'” He added: “Catholics can and should support Israel.”In response to the backlash, Ms. Boller doubled down on her comments, pledging to “continue to stand against Zionist supremacy in America,” she wrote on X. In another statement, she insisted she would “not resign” from the commission nor would she “be bullied for following” her “Catholic conscience.”

Trump Admin Under Pressure To Oust Former Beauty Queen From Religious Liberty Panel After Heated Antisemitism Hearing

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