Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson recently visited the illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel, where he addressed a conference of fanatical right-wing settlers. Ariel, one of the largest Israeli settlements in the West Bank, is widely recognized as illegal under international law and viewed as a major obstacle to any future Palestinian state.
Johnson is one of the highest-ranking U.S. political figures to ever visit an Israeli settlement. He has long been an ardent supporter of Israel’s illegal colonization project. Speaking at the conference hosted by YESHA, an umbrella group representing settlements across the West Bank, Johnson declared: “The mountains of Judea and Samaria [the Israeli term for the West Bank] are the rightful property of the Jewish people.”
Joining Johnson at the conference were U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Rep. Claudia Tenney, chair of the Friends of Judea and Samaria Caucus in the U.S. Congress.
Mike Johnson has long-standing ties to fundamentalist Christian Zionist groups, most notably the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). He has even displayed the “An Appeal to Heaven” flag, a symbol adopted by the NAR, outside his Capitol Hill office. Johnson, who once claimed that “separation of church and state is a misnomer,” openly allows his religious ideology to shape public policy.
The NAR, like many Christian Zionist movements, believes in a form of dispensationalist theology which teaches that all Jews must return to the Holy Land, where they will either convert to Christianity or perish. According to this belief system, this mass return—and eventual slaughter—is a necessary precondition for the Second Coming of Jesus.
Johnson’s hardline support for Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its apartheid governance of Palestinian territories is deeply rooted in this extremist religious worldview.
In March of last year, at an emergency meeting of Christians United for Israel (CUFI),the largest Christian Zionist organization in the world, Johnson stated: “The United States must show unwavering strength and support for Israel.” He continued, “God is going to bless the nation that blesses Israel. We understand that that’s our role. It’s also our biblical admonition. This is something that’s an article of faith for us.”
Beyond its unwavering support for Israel, the NAR promotes a range of troubling beliefs. Its adherents view themselves as soldiers in a Christian army, tasked with “reclaiming” the United States for Christianity. They advocate for using Christian theology to shape U.S. laws and policies, a vision increasingly reflected in Speaker Johnson’s political actions—especially on issues concerning Israel.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors extremist groups, has described the NAR as “the greatest threat to American democracy that most people have never heard of.” Johnson is not alone among U.S. right-wing figures with ties to the NAR. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican representative from Georgia, maintains close connections to NAR leaders, as do Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and former Congressman Doug Mastriano. Right-wing media personalities such as Charlie Kirk have also promoted the NAR’s brand of Christian nationalism.
Many scholars have warned of the NAR’s growing influence over the Trump presidency, noting that since his first term in office, NAR delegations frequently meet with Donald Trump at the White House.
At a time when Americans are grappling with their government’s continued support for Israel’s genocidal policies in Gaza, it is crucial to understand the role of Christian Zionist groups like the NAR and CUFI in shaping Republican policy and their influence within the MAGA movement.
As the influence of extremist religious ideologies like the NAR continues to seep into the highest levels of American governance, the line between personal faith and public policy becomes increasingly blurred. What was once fringe theology has now found champions in Congress and the Speaker’s office, shaping foreign policy decisions with devastating real-world consequences for Palestinians and for broader U.S. credibility on the world stage.
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