MAGA Catholics, Antisemitism & Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Implosion

Summary

On this episode of Reign of Error, investigative journalist Sarah Posner unpacks the implosion of Donald Trump’s White House Religious Liberty Commission after a chaotic hearing at the Museum of the Bible exposed deep fractures inside the MAGA coalition. Former beauty queen and recent Catholic convert Carrie Prejean Boller sparked outrage with antisemitic rhetoric tied to right-wing influencer Candace Owens, igniting a public feud with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and drawing backlash from conservative Catholics and evangelicals alike. Posner and scholar Matthew J. Cressler explore how debates over Zionism, Christian nationalism, and the phrase “Christ is King” reveal a growing split between traditional religious-right leaders and a digitally fueled Catholic far-right operating in Trump’s social media ecosystem.

The conversation traces how figures like Nick Fuentes, Owens, and other MAGA Catholics deploy antisemitic tropes rooted in older Catholic anti-communist and anti-Jewish traditions, now amplified by online platforms and political patronage. From clashes over Vatican teaching and Christian Zionism to tensions with evangelical allies, this episode examines whether the MAGA movement’s Catholic wing is on a collision course with both the broader GOP and the institutional Church. Plus, in this week’s “Anti-Doom,” Posner highlights a federal court ruling restoring a slavery exhibit removed under Trump’s executive order—an important victory in the ongoing fight over American history and truth.

Additional Resources:

• Yair Rosenberg, “Carrie Prejean Boller Is Not Going Quietly,” The Atlantic, February 12, 2026

• Will Sommer, “Candace Owens Gets Inside TPUSA’s Head,” The Bulwark, February 12, 2026

• Mira Fox, “What Carrie Prejean Boller tells us about Christian Zionism in the US,” The Forward, February 11, 2026

• The Editorial Board, “Hijacking Trump’s Religious Liberty Council,” Wall Street Journal, February 10, 2026

• Kate Scanlon, Catholic member of Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission sparks tense exchange over antisemitism and Israel, America, February 10, 2026

• Joel Swanson, “Zionism was never a single concept. We should be grateful to JFNA’s survey for the reminder.,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, February 9, 2026

• Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, The Interfaith Alliance v. Trump, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Civil Action No. 1:26-cv-01075, February 9, 2026

• Chip Rotolo and Gregory A. Smith, “White evangelicals remain among Trump’s strongest supporters, but they’re less supportive than a year ago,” Pew Research Center, February 9, 2026

• Hannah Hartig, Scott Keeter, Andrew Daniller and Ted Van Green, “Voting patterns in the 2024 election,” Pew Research Center, June 26, 2025

• The White House, “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes the Religious Liberty Commission,” May 1, 2025

• Center on Extremism, Candace Owens Backgrounder, Anti-Defamation League, August 27, 2024

• Camden Carter and Jack Winstanley, “Right-wing and far-right media throw their support behind Candace Owens amid her antisemitism and departure from Daily Wire,” Media Matters, March 27, 2024

• Matt Gertz, “A mask-off week for right-wing antisemitism,” Media Matters, November 21, 2023