TEHRAN — The term "Christian Zionism" refers to a belief among some Christians that supports the flood of the Jews to Israel and the establishment of a Jewish state as part of biblical prophecy.
While it's difficult to provide an exact number of officials who identify as Christian Zionists, various political leaders, especially in the United States, have expressed support for Christian Zionist beliefs.
Prominent figures include some members of Congress, evangelical leaders, and certain political candidates who align with pro-Israel policies. Organizations like the Christian Coalition and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem advocate for Christian Zionist views and have many supporters among political officials.
Some notable evangelical leaders and politicians within the Republican Party who have identified as Christian Zionists or have expressed strong support for Israel are:
Mike Pence, the former Vice President under Donald Trump. Pence has been a vocal supporter of Israel and has often spoken about the biblical significance of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Hagee is a prominent evangelical pastor known for his strong support of Israel and advocacy for Christian Zionism.
Ted Cruz, the U.S. Senator from Texas. He has openly expressed his support for Israel and has aligned himself with Christian Zionist beliefs, often invoking biblical references in his speeches.
Franklin Graham is the son of evangelist Billy Graham. Graham is a prominent Christian leader who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel and has promoted Christian Zionist views.
Robert Jeffress - Pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas. He is a well-known evangelical leader who has been a strong advocate for Israel and has described himself as a Christian Zionist. Called a televangelist, he is a Fox News contributor.
Jerry Falwell Jr., the former president of Liberty University and son of Jerry Falwell Sr. He has been a vocal supporter of Israel and has promoted the idea of Christian Zionism in his public statements.
Michelle Bachmann, the former U.S. Representative from Minnesota. She has been a strong advocate for Israel and has expressed her support for Christian Zionism in various forums. According to TC Jewfolk, she has said, “I have tremendous love for Israel, and great admiration for the Israeli people. I am a Christian, but I consider my heritage Jewish.
Some prominent Democrats have also expressed strong support for Israel, though they may not specifically identify as Christian Zionists. A few notable Democrats who have shown a biased stance toward Israel are:
Former President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and current Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer; former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House after Pelosi from 2003-2023; Dianne Feinstein, the senator from California from 1992 until her death in 2023.
In the early stages of the genocide in Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack, Biden, meeting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, said, “I don’t believe you have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist.”
Of course, not all Jews are Zionist. There is a considerable percentage of Jews around the world who oppose Israel’s apartheid against the Palestinians.
Like all people of the faith, Jews should be respected. The problem is that Zionism is synonymous with occupation, injustice, and cruelty.
Biden, in his half-century of public life, was a strident supporter of Israel. Though he expressed support for a two-state solution for the decades-long conflict, his support for Israel fell within political and strategic interests.
Hillary Clinton’s support for Israel was unwavering in her political career, especially as senator and chief diplomat. She stated her support for recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital during her presidential campaign in 2016. Also, in a speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in March 2016, Hillary said she would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
However, her sworn enemy, Donald Trump, who called her “crooked” as a presidential rival, recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in his first presidency.
The United States joined Israel in launching the war of aggression on Iran in June 2025 and again on Feb. 28. In the case of Iran, much of that backing is rooted in Washington's long-standing regional and strategic interests.
“But within the administration of President Donald Trump and beyond, prominent Christian Zionists have sometimes framed conflicts in the Middle East in biblical terms, invoking scripture to justify support for Israel,” Daniel Tester wrote in Middle East Eye on May 12.
As a political and religious ideology, Christian Zionism not only facilitates the flow of Jews to occupied Palestine but also backs the annexation of neighboring parts of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
Though Trump has not openly said he is a Christian Zionist, he is openly surrounded by people with such ideology. Trump’s recognition of Syria’s Golan Heights as part of Israel in his first term meets this biblical ideology.
In the UK and elsewhere, many politicians were and still are sympathetic to Christian Zionism. Most notably, they included British foreign minister Arthur Balfour, who in 1917 sent the Balfour Declaration, in which Britain pledged support for a Jewish state in Palestine, to Lord Rothschild, a leading Zionist.
The fire that Balfour ignited in the Middle East is still raging, even with a greater speed and many more flames. For example, since the creation of Israel in 1948, the region has not seen a tragedy as horrific as the Gaza genocide so far.
