Conservative Catholic Member of Trump Religious Liberty Commission Removed After Antisemitism Dispute
A conservative Catholic member of the federal Religious Liberty Commission created under President Donald Trump has been removed following a contentious hearing focused on antisemitism in the United States.
Carrie Prejean Boller, a former model turned conservative activist who converted to Catholicism last year, was ousted after sharp exchanges during a commission session in Washington that examined rising antisemitism, including incidents linked to tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who chairs the commission, announced the decision in a statement, saying no member has the right to redirect a hearing to advance a personal or political agenda. He described the events at Monday’s hearing as clearly crossing that line and said the removal was his decision.
Prejean Boller disputed Patrick’s authority to remove her, arguing that only President Trump has the power to dismiss a commission member. In a post on social media, she criticized the action and characterized it as politically motivated.
The hearing featured testimony from several witnesses who described concerns about antisemitism, including accounts from individuals who said universities failed to adequately protect Jewish students during pro Palestinian protests related to the war in Gaza. Seth Dillon, chief executive of the satirical website The Babylon Bee, testified that conservatives should confront antisemitic rhetoric emerging from segments of the political right.
During the session, Prejean Boller questioned whether criticism of Israel should be automatically considered antisemitic and pushed back against claims that some commentators promote harmful conspiracy theories. Dillon responded that while criticism of Israeli policies is not inherently antisemitic, context matters and some individuals mask antisemitism under political language.
Prejean Boller also raised concerns about whether social media platforms should restrict certain biblical quotations, referencing verses historically interpreted as attributing responsibility for the death of Jesus to Jews. The exchange heightened tensions during a hearing already marked by broader political and religious disagreements.
The controversy unfolds as the Religious Liberty Commission faces a new federal lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in New York by progressive religious organizations. The suit argues that the commission’s membership fails to reflect diverse religious perspectives and violates requirements under the Federal Advisory Committee Act that advisory panels be fairly balanced among competing viewpoints.
The lawsuit was brought by the Interfaith Alliance along with Muslim, Hindu and Sikh groups. It contends that the commission is composed almost entirely of conservative Christian members, with one Orthodox Jewish rabbi, and promotes a narrow understanding of the nation’s religious foundations.
The commission was established last year and is expected to submit a report to President Trump in the coming months. Its recent hearings have addressed allegations that previous administrations restricted religious liberty, as well as contemporary debates over antisemitism and free speech.
