On May 16, 2025, the White House officially announced the appointment of two controversial figures to its newly formed Advisory Board of Lay Leaders: Ismail Royer and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College.
Ismail Royer, currently serving as the Director of the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team at the Religious Freedom Institute, has a complex history. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to weapons charges related to assisting the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and served over a decade in prison. Since his release, Royer has worked with various nonprofit organizations to promote interfaith dialogue and religious freedom.
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is a prominent American Islamic scholar and co-founder of Zaytuna College, the first accredited Muslim liberal arts college in the United States. He has been recognized for his efforts in promoting classical Islamic learning and interfaith understanding. Yusuf has also served as an advisor to the Center for Islamic Studies at Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union and was a member of the State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights during the first Trump administration.
The appointments have drawn criticism from some individuals and groups. For instance, commentator Laura Loomer referred to both appointees as “jihadists” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), citing their past affiliations. However, such characterizations are contentious and not universally accepted. Both Royer and Yusuf have been involved in efforts to promote religious freedom and interfaith dialogue in recent years.
This move is not isolated; it is part of a wider pattern: compromise dressed as compassion, appeasement cloaked in tolerance, and a weakening of discernment at a national level.
“Gideon’s Chariots” Has Begun
Simultaneously, Israeli forces have launched a major offensive operation in Gaza and northern sectors—known as Operation Gideon’s Chariots. This operation has mobilized tens of thousands of reservists across the nation. These are not just soldiers—they are sons, fathers, and daughters being summoned for a time such as this.
The name is no accident. Gideon, in Scripture, led a small remnant against overwhelming odds—not with human strength, but by the command of the Lord. These modern chariots are not merely tanks and aircraft—they are prophetic instruments of divine purpose.
The war on the ground is intensifying. The war in the spirit is far deeper.
We are witnessing a convergence: a compromised America elevating controversial voices, even as Israel fights for its prophetic survival.
I have seen this unfold in Europe and the UK — the rise of so-called 'ecumenism,' which often dilutes the gospel under the guise of unity. It is now one of the strongest ideological pillars influencing the White House. This is not true spiritual reconciliation; it is a counterfeit unity that weakens the Church’s prophetic voice.
However, we must not forget the values upon which America was founded — Judeo-Christian principles that honor God, uphold truth, and recognize the covenant God made with Israel. The erosion of these foundations places not just America, but the world, at spiritual risk.
Written by
Tania Curado - Koenig
Source: President Donald Trump Names Advisory Board Members to the Religious Liberty Commission