Catholic Carrie Prejean Boller was removed from President Trump’s “Religious Liberty Commission” after asking panelists to define antisemitism.

On February 9, 2026, the commission held a hearing in Washington, D.C., at the Museum of the Bible, centered on antisemitism in America. Panelists included Jewish witnesses and others testifying about experiences of antisemitism, with discussions touching on whether anti-Zionism equates to antisemitism.

During the session, Boller made several pointed statements that escalated tensions. She declared, “I am a Catholic, and Catholics don’t embrace Zionism,” and challenged panelists with questions like, “So are all Catholics anti-Semites according to you?” She defended commentator Candace Owens against antisemitism accusations, stating Owens “just doesn’t support Zionism,” and quoted Catholic theologian Dr. Scott Hahn: “Stop carelessly labeling people anti-semites. Catholic Christianity does not in any way require you to embrace Zionism as a fulfilled prophecy.”

Boller also wore a pin featuring both the American and Palestinian flags, explaining in a subsequent letter to panelist Shabbos Kestenbaum that it represented “solidarity with civilians who are being bombed, displaced, and deliberately starved in Gaza.” She argued that as a Catholic, she has a “constitutional right and a God-given freedom of religion and conscience not to endorse a political ideology or a government that is carrying out mass civilian killing and starvation.” She framed silence on such issues as “moral complicity” rather than true religious liberty.

The exchange grew heated, with panelist Seth Dillon (CEO of The Babylon Bee) responding that figures like Owens go “far beyond” mere opposition to Zionism, including using terms like “synagogue of Satan” and conflating “Zionist” with “Jew.” Other participants referenced Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate, which states that the death of Jesus “cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today,” and emphasized collective human responsibility for Christ’s Passion.

Commission Chair Dan Patrick intervened to halt the back-and-forth. On February 11, 2026, he announced Boller’s removal on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. No member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue. This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America. This was my decision.”

Boller refused prior attempts by commission members to discourage her remarks or prompt her resignation, telling EWTN that efforts were made to “silence” her and asserting she “won’t be silenced.” After the removal, she described Patrick’s action as reflecting a “Zionist political agenda” and maintained that forcing affirmation of Zionism contradicts religious freedom.

The incident drew varied reactions. Supporters viewed her stance as a defense of conscience and criticism of conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Critics, including journalist Laura Loomer, accused her of disruption and harassment, with Loomer making pointed remarks about Catholic confession that prompted backlash as anti-Catholic. Outlets like The Wall Street Journal described her as having “hijacked” the hearing while assailing “Zionist supremacy.” Some Catholic voices, such as the Catholic League, called her statements presumptuous and urged her removal, arguing they misrepresented Catholic teaching on Zionism.

This episode highlights ongoing tensions within conservative and religious circles over Israel, Zionism, and free speech on religious liberty panels. Boller’s ouster underscores how quickly debates on antisemitism definitions can collide with personal faith convictions, even on a body dedicated to protecting religious conscience. The commission continues its work amid these controversies, with its mandate set to conclude on July 4, 2026, unless extended.