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U.S. President Donald Trump has placed the role of religion in American governance and most likely in the shaping of foreign policy – especially when it comes to Israel – with the creation of the first-ever White House Faith Office.
Rev. Paula White, a longtime spiritual adviser to Trump and one of the most influential religious figures in his previous administration, is leading the initiative.
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WHITE HOUSE FAITH OFFICE
White played a key role in strengthening ties between the president and Israel and was instrumental in pushing for the U.S. embassy’s relocation from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, among other faith-driven policies.
With her appointment, the White House Faith Office is expected to shape policy on issues ranging from religious freedom to moral and social values, setting the stage for renewed debate over the intersection of faith and politics in America.
For many American Jews, who tend to align with liberal values, the establishment of the White House Faith Office may be met with unease. Evangelical Christians, who make up as much as 35% of the U.S. adult population according to the Pew Research Center, will likely have an outsized influence on the office’s policies—not only due to their numbers but also because of White’s central role in the initiative.
For centuries, Jewish communities endured persecution at the hands of Christians, fostering deep-rooted skepticism about collaborating with Evangelicals—even when it comes to supporting Israel.
Traditional Christian doctrine long upheld the idea that God had rejected the Jewish people in favor of Christians. However, in recent decades, particularly following the establishment of modern Israel and its decisive victory in the 1967 Six-Day War, which led to the reunification of Jerusalem, some Christian leaders—White among them—have reassessed this perspective.
Many Evangelicals have distanced themselves from replacement theology, the belief that Christianity superseded Judaism, and now recognize the Jewish people as playing a continuing and vital role in God’s plan.
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Rev. Paula White (right) at the Congressional Allies Caucus re-launch event
(Photo: Screenshot)
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that now, more than ever, Israel will welcome Christian political, biblical, and diplomatic support. While he did not meet with Jewish leaders—apart from a group of Jewish student leaders—Netanyahu held a 90-minute meeting with over a dozen American Evangelical leaders the Monday before his meeting with Trump, according to All Israel News.
Incoming U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee emphasized the strength of Evangelical support for Israel, telling All Israel News, "There's no greater supporter of the state of Israel and the Jewish people than the American Evangelicals. And sometimes, the prime minister and I think the larger population of Israel needs to know who their friends are."
Huckabee also highlighted the significance of the meeting, saying, "It seemed to be an important moment to affirm to the Prime Minister that there is a group of Bible-believing people in the United States that stand with the State of Israel, but also with the Jewish people at a very important time—when antisemitism is at an epidemic tide, and when there are so many threats to the existential nature of the state of Israel."
He further noted that Evangelicals do not support a two-state solution, stating that they oppose any policy that would require Israel to cede territory and place potential adversaries in positions of authority. "I think that's one thing that became very evident—that this was not proposed by anyone," Huckabee said.
Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer was also present at the meeting. He has long emphasized the strength of Evangelical support for Israel. In 2018, he told The New York Times that "Evangelical Christians support Israel with much greater fervor and devotion than many in the Jewish community."
Trump first met Paula White in 2003, and the two quickly formed a close friendship. She became his pastor and religious adviser when he took office in 2017. White later took on an official role in the administration as an adviser to the Faith and Opportunity Initiative within the Office of Public Liaison, responsible for engaging with key religious and community groups that formed a core part of Trump's support base.
A central figure in Trump’s outreach to evangelical Christians, White played a pivotal role in mobilizing thousands of faith leaders to support his candidacy during his first campaign.
She shaped the narrative that allowed many evangelicals to overlook Trump’s more controversial or morally questionable statements. White and other supporters often defended him by pointing to biblical examples of flawed leaders used by God, emphasizing that his presidency should be judged by actions rather than personal conduct.
"Judge them by their actions," she has said, noting that Trump had delivered on key faith-based policies.
In a recent conversation in Washington, White described Trump as a spiritual person.
White was instrumental in crafting Trump’s policies on Israel and the Middle East, working closely with the president’s former Orthodox Jewish advisers, including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
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For several consecutive years, the Israel Allies Foundation has recognized White as one of the Top 50 Christian Allies, highlighting her deep commitment to strengthening ties between Christians and Israel.
During a visit to Israel in June 2023, White made a bold statement in an interview with this reporter, emphasizing that Christians should seek to learn from Jews rather than convert them. She also stressed that a true understanding of Christianity requires an appreciation of Judaism.
“You can be Jewish without being Christian, but you cannot be Christian without understanding Judaism,” she said during the interview at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.
Expanding on this idea, she referenced the teachings of the apostle Paul, saying, “Paul made very clear that God extended his love to the Gentiles, but he did not take something from the Jews and tell us to go back and course correct or convert them. I do not want to convert Jews or send them to [live in] Israel for the rapture. The plan for salvation for the Jews is God’s.”
The rapture is a belief held by many evangelicals that, at the end of days, Jesus will return, dead believers will be resurrected, and Christianity will be glorified.
Since the outbreak of the war, White has been actively involved in relief efforts, working with local organizations to support those in need. In the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attack, she urged Christian women to light Shabbat candles as a show of solidarity with the Jewish people.
Maayan HoffmanPhoto: Joshua PaseIn addition to her humanitarian efforts, White serves as a senior leader in Israel365 Action’s Keep God’s Land program, which advocates for Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
Speaking at the Congressional Allies Caucus launch in Washington, D.C., the day after the inauguration, White highlighted the strength of her faith coalition, which boasts more than 60,000 members. She emphasized the critical role of faith-based diplomacy and the need for religious communities to reclaim their influence in American society.
She reminded attendees that the United States was founded on principles rooted in faith and belief in God, declaring that it is time for the faith-based community to take that mantle back.
Standing beside White, her adviser and colleague Jenny Korn reinforced the message, urging people of faith to engage in the political process at every level.
"Be proud people of faith and say we are going to be involved in every policy and every government level, whether it’s the national, state, or local level, because we are citizens of this country, and that is the most important part that brings us all together," Korn said.
The creation of this office is yet another indication that Trump is prioritizing the interests of his Evangelical supporters—a key voting bloc that has consistently backed him.
It also marks a significant victory for Israel’s right-wing factions, who advocate for a stronger alignment between Israeli policy and conservative, faith-driven and biblical values.
It could also signal that these values will form the foundation of a policy reinforcing the deep, historical connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel—including Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, and even Gaza.
- Maayan Hoffman is executive editor of ILTV News and a correspondent for The Media Line.