Trump’s Own Religious Liberty Commission Adviser Resigns In Protest Over Iran War

Sameerah Munshi, a White House Religious Liberty Commission adviser, has resigned from her position successful protestation of nan warfare successful Iran and nan removal of Carrie Prejean Boller from nan board.

Boller — a erstwhile Miss California USA who became a societal media influencer — was officially removed from nan committee successful March by President Donald Trump pursuing complaints from Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

He accused Boller of trying to "hijack" a proceeding connected antisemitism aft she questioned nan meaning of antisemitism and asked a Jewish personnel of nan sheet if he condemns Israel’s actions successful Gaza.

Munshi confirmed her resignation successful a social media post. She said she was leaving nan committee owed to nan "official removal of Carrie Prejean Boller for her profoundly held beliefs astir Palestine and nan national government's forbidden warfare against Iran, undertaken without clear law aliases legislature authorization."

During nan gathering that caused Boller's ousting from nan commission, nan blimpish influencer wore a pin featuring nan American and Palestinian flags and tried to unit a chat complete nan meaning of antisemitism and its narration to Israel.

"By not being a Zionist, does that make you an antisemite?" she asked during a committee meeting.

In different speech astatine nan aforesaid meeting, she noted that Israel had been brought up galore times during nan discussion, and asked PragerU governmental commentator Shabbos Kestenbaum if he was "willing to condemn what Israel has done successful Gaza.”

Kestenbaum refused to condemn Israel for its actions successful Gaza, which some nan United Nations and Amnesty International person labeled a genocide.

He later wrote an unfastened missive to Boller accusing her of abusing Trump's spot successful her by focusing connected a conflict beyond nan borders of nan U.S. alternatively than focusing connected home belief liberty issues, nan Houston Chronicle reports.

On March 12, Boller announced she had been removed from nan commission.

"President Trump officially removes maine from nan Religious Liberty Commission for exercising my Religious Liberty," she wrote connected societal media.

Munshi, a Muslim personnel of nan commission, said different members of nan sheet had mocked her religion and had been outwardly dispute toward nan Muslim organization successful nan U.S.

“I hesitantly accepted my assignment past twelvemonth pinch nan volition of remaining a sound of logic and opinionated for nan belief state of mean Americans whose voices are not often heard astatine nan highest levels of government," she said, while besides representing "Americans Muslims whose authorities are sidelined."

She insisted that she was not resigning retired of fearfulness and was not acrophobic of reprisals for speaking retired against nan panel.

“I want to beryllium very clear: I americium not resigning retired of fearfulness aliases intimidation from anyone affiliated pinch nan Commission, nan government, aliases immoderate liking group. I americium resigning because I person seen firsthand nan injustice perpetrated by members of this commission, and I americium unwilling to beryllium associated pinch it immoderate longer," she wrote.

After nan announcement, Boller thanked Munshi for sticking to her values.

“Thank you for choosing your principals complete your position. I americium honored to cognize you and telephone you friend," she wrote.

The Council connected Islamic-American Relations, nan nation's largest Muslim civilian authorities organization, commended some Boller and Munshi for their actions.

“We commend some Carrie Prejean Boller and Sameerah Munshi for courageously utilizing their roles pinch nan Religious Liberty Commission to really guidelines up for belief liberty," CAIR said successful a statement. "Ms. Prejean Boller and Ms. Munshi fulfilled nan commission’s stated intent by opposing each forms of anti-religious bigotry and opinionated up for each person’s correct to definitive their belief beliefs, including guidance to Israel’s genocide successful Gaza."

Boller has agelong been a Trump protagonist and a conservative. She was nan taxable of contention during nan 2009 Miss USA pageant erstwhile she was asked astir same-sex matrimony and replied that she believes "that matrimony should beryllium betwixt a man and a woman."

She had her crown stripped from her aft nan pageant for an alleged breach of contract.

Trump — who owned astir of nan Miss Universe Organization astatine nan clip — defended Boller. But Boller appears to person go disillusioned pinch nan president.

“I thought MAGA stood for defending Americans who speak their convictions without fearfulness of punishment,” she wrote successful an unfastened missive she shared connected X. “Today I struggle to admit nan activity you started.”