Former Beauty Queen Expelled from White House Religious Council Meeting
Carrie Prejean Boller, the 38-year-old former Miss California and Miss USA runner-up known for her political activism, was dramatically removed from a White House Religious Liberty Commission meeting this week. The controversial expulsion came during a February 9 hearing focused on antisemitism in America, held at Washington DC's Museum of the Bible.
Confrontation Over Gaza Conflict Definitions
Boller, who wore a Palestinian flag pin throughout the proceedings, directly challenged commission members on their definition of antisemitism. She pressed officials to condemn Israel's military actions in Gaza, asking pointedly: "Since we've mentioned Israel a total of 17 times, are you willing to condemn what Israel has done in Gaza?"
The former beauty queen, a longtime supporter of former President Donald Trump, referenced casualty figures from the ongoing conflict, questioning: "70,000 innocent civilians killed? You won't condemn that?" Her interrogation sparked heated exchanges with Jewish activists on the panel who rejected her characterization of the situation as genocide.
Commission Chair's Decisive Action
Texas Governor Dan Patrick, who chairs the Religious Liberty Commission, announced Boller's removal in a detailed social media statement. "No member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue," Patrick declared. "This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America. This was my decision."
Patrick emphasized that the commission's purpose is to protect religious liberty for all faiths, not to engage in theological debates or define religious positions. "Whether they be Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs. We've had all those witnesses here," he stated during the meeting. "This is not a commission on defining religions or calling out any theology."
Boller's Defiant Response and Theological Stance
In a swift rebuttal on social media, Boller challenged Patrick's authority to remove her from the Trump-created commission. "This is President Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, not yours," she wrote. "You did not appoint me to the Commission, and you lack authority to remove me from it."
The former model, who converted from evangelical Christianity to Catholicism in April, framed her position through religious conviction. "I refuse to bend the knee to Israel," she declared. "I am no slave to a foreign nation, but to Christ our king." Boller further questioned whether her Catholic faith inherently made her antisemitic according to the commission's definitions, given that Catholicism traditionally doesn't embrace Zionism.
Historical Context and Political Connections
The Religious Liberty Commission was established through an executive order by former President Donald Trump in May, with the Department of Justice providing support for its mission to uphold federal religious freedom protections. Governor Patrick praised Trump's vision in creating the body, stating: "Fighting for the Word of God and religious freedom is what this nation was founded upon."
This incident marks another chapter in Boller's long history of political controversy. Trump previously defended her in 2009 when she was stripped of her Miss California USA title after speaking against same-sex marriage during the pageant. At that time, Trump owned the Miss Universe Organization and publicly supported the contestant amid contract breach accusations.
Broader Implications for Religious Dialogue
The confrontation highlights growing tensions within religious freedom discussions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Boller's questioning about whether anti-Zionism constitutes antisemitism drew direct responses from panel members, with Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman asserting that denying Jews the right to their own state while granting it to other peoples represents "double standard hypocrisy and anti-Semitism."
As the commission continues its work to protect religious liberty across all faiths, this incident demonstrates the challenges of navigating deeply polarized political and theological positions within official government advisory bodies. The expulsion raises questions about the boundaries of acceptable discourse within such commissions and the balance between personal conviction and institutional purpose.
