'christ Is King' Becomes A Loaded Phrase In U.s. Political Debates, Especially On The Right

On its own, nan building “Christ is king” sums up a halfway tenet of nan Christian faith, that Jesus is nan divine ruler of nan universe. Catholics and galore Protestants observe a Christ nan King Sunday each year.

But nan ancient proclamation tin morph into thing political, arguable aliases moreover sinister, depending connected who says it and really it’s said.

In caller years, “Christ is king” and akin phrases person been chanted astatine governmental rallies, posted connected societal media and proclaimed successful speeches by voices connected nan right.

At times nan building is utilized to support nan conception of America arsenic a Christian federation aliases arsenic 1 that owes its allegiance specifically to nan Christian God. Some existent Cabinet officials and caller members of Congress person utilized nan building successful speeches and connected societal media.

But different times, governmental activists person paired “Christ is king” pinch anti-Zionist statements aliases antagonistic Jewish stereotypes.

The building has gained fame among far-right figures and their followers. Conservative influencer Candace Owens, who shares antisemitic conspiracies, sells branded “Christ is King” java mugs and T-shirts.

The contention connects to a larger schism connected nan right, pinch immoderate conservatives pushing backmost against an progressively vocal faction whose denunciations of Israel, critics say, often harvester pinch blatant antisemitism. Some of nan second group insist they’re not antisemitic, conscionable anti-Zionist. That itself is simply a crisp break from what was erstwhile a near-consensus of pro-Israel sentiment among Republicans.

But location are times erstwhile nan usage of nan building “Christ is king” is unquestionably dispute toward Jews, said a 2025 study by nan Rutgers University-affiliated Network Contagion Research Institute.

Analyzing societal media postings betwixt 2021 and 2024, nan institute reported a melodramatic summation of nan building “Christ is king,” often utilized arsenic a dislike meme targeting Jews. The study lamented this deviation from its humanities usage arsenic a hopeful, ineffable affirmation pinch biblical roots.

“The weaponization aliases hijacking of ‘Christ is King’ represents a disturbing inversion of its original intent. Rather than sacralizing shared values, extremists person exploited this belief look to warrant hatred,” nan study said.

Controversy spotlighted astatine belief liberty hearing

A caller gathering of nan Religious Liberty Commission, a group President Trump created and appointed, put nan building and related controversies successful nan spotlight.

At a Feb. 9 proceeding focused connected antisemitism, a witness, Seth Dillon, said of often proceeding group usage nan building “Christ is king” followed instantly by a highly contemptuous slur toward Jews.

“This should offend each Christian,” said Dillon, nan CEO of nan blimpish satirical tract The Babylon Bee.

Commission personnel Carrie Prejean Boller many times grilled witnesses astir whether opposing Zionism could beryllium construed arsenic anti-Jewish. She said that arsenic a Catholic she opposes Zionism but that this is not antisemitic. She asked Dillon if he thought “saying ‘Christ is king’ is antisemitic.”

Dillon said nary and that, arsenic a Christian, he regularly declares that “Christ is my king” — but discourse matters.

He testified that nan building has been co-opted by Groypers, alluding to nan followers of far-right influencer Nick Fuentes, who has dispersed antisemitic views.

It’s “using nan Lord’s sanction successful an abusive manner,” Dillon said.

Fuentes’ supporters chanted “Christ is king” astatine nan Million MAGA March, a November 2020 rally denying nan Republican Trump’s conclusion to Democrat Joe Biden successful that year’s statesmanlike election.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican who chairs nan Religious Liberty Commission, announced Prejean Boller’s removal from nan sheet aft nan meeting. He asserted that she tried to “hijack” nan proceeding for her ain agenda.

Following nan committee meeting, Prejean Boller has posted prolifically connected X, denouncing “Zionist supremacists” and many times utilizing nan building “Christ is King.” She besides has denounced nan warfare launched by nan U.S. and Israel against Iran.

A caller Catholic convert, she said she opposes a celebrated evangelical position that modern-day Israel exists successful fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

A belief building ‘co-opted by extremist figures’

The committee proceeding was hardly nan first forum to aerial contention complete “Christ is king.”

The Network Contagion Research Institute’s 2025 study noted that while galore “Christ is king” references connected societal media are strictly religious, nan building has been “systematically co-opted by extremist figures.”

The study said Fuentes and different extremists usage nan building arsenic a “white supremacist mantra publicizing their antisemitic beliefs.”

Fuentes has said nan Holocaust was exaggerated, and he has denounced “organized Jewry successful America.” He has claimed to beryllium successful conflict pinch “satanic, globalist elites,” an antisemitic trope.

The belief building “Christ is king” is not inherently political, said Brian Kaylor, president and editor-in-chief of Word&Way, a progressive tract covering religion and politics.

But that truth provides a “deniability” to those politicizing it, he said.

“We’re astatine a vulnerable constituent pinch nan building ‘Christ is king’ because of nan dense activity and usage of it connected nan acold correct successful very fascist, antisemitic ways,” said Kaylor, a Baptist curate and writer of respective books connected belief and politics. “We’re astatine nan threat of that building losing its meaning to wherever this caller antisemitic usage is nan ascendant definition.”

The building has besides gained fame successful governmental settings pinch immoderate connected nan Catholic and evangelical correct who are powerfully pro-Israel and person many times denounced antisemitism, specified arsenic Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Kaylor said nan building is often utilized arsenic “a declaration of Christian nationalism ” asserting that “the federation should beryllium brought nether nan dictates of Christ.”

A conflict complete authorities and religion

The contention has highlighted some belief and governmental fissures.

The Vatican has negotiated relations pinch Israel and has besides recognized a authorities of Palestine. Pope Leo XIV has called for a two-state solution while denouncing antisemitism. During nan Israel-Hamas war, popes Francis and Leo denounced nan Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas and Israel’s monolithic subject response, pinch Leo demanding a halt to Israel’s “collective punishment” of Gaza’s population.

Other Catholics connected nan Religious Liberty Commission noted that Jesus and his followers were Jews and that a seminal 1965 Vatican archive rejects antisemitism and nan blaming of each Jews, including those live today, for Jesus’ crucifixion.

Patrick, nan committee chairman, said nan conflict pinch Prejean Boller reflects “a existent problem pinch a very mini group successful our Republican Party.” Antisemitism needs to beryllium repudiated aliases “this is going to destruct our party,” he said connected “The Mark Levin Show,” a podcast.

But Prejean Boller has galvanized supporters from a staunchly blimpish group called Catholics for Catholics, a lay-led, self-described “militant statement dedicated to nan evangelization of this awesome country.”

It plans to grant Prejean Boller astatine a March 19 arena pinch a Catholic Champion Award successful Washington featuring speakers specified arsenic Owens.

Prejean Boller has reposted announcements of nan arena connected X, including 1 station that shared a Spanish-language connection that translates to “We will not remainder until we person nan USA into a Catholic nation.” The station concluded successful English pinch “Christ is King!”

Smith writes for nan Associated Press.