Andrew Klavan, prominent host and commentator for The Daily Wire, set off a wave of online outrage after brazenly suggesting that his ethnic background grants him spiritual superiority over fellow Christians.

During a recent broadcast, Klavan made a provocative statement: “Paul mentioned that we were grafted onto the tree of the Jews. You were, I wasn’t, as I was born there. So technically, I outrank all of you. Just kidding. But in essence, this God who chose the Jews became everyone’s God through Jesus Christ.”

Many listeners found Klavan’s “joke” to be anything but humorous. His comments seemed to place ethnic Jewish identity above conversion or faith, highlighting the increasing fusion of American conservatism with Zionist exceptionalism. Critics argued that such a hierarchy is foreign to both the New Testament and traditional Christian doctrine.

Klavan’s remarks surface at a time when the American right’s stance on Israel and Zionism has shifted from balanced support to almost “religious devotion.” Focusing on Israel’s political interests has become commonplace for many pundits and politicians, sometimes overshadowing broader conservative and Christian values. Many conservatives overlook that political Zionism was originally founded by atheists and secularists—hardly aligning with the spiritual “tree” referenced by the Apostle Paul.

Christian critics have turned to Scripture, particularly Romans 9:3, where Paul does not prioritize his kin by heritage but mourns Israel’s rejection of the Messiah: “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” This passage clearly indicates that birthright does not surpass faith or salvation in Christ, countering any notion of racial or ethnic superiority.

This incident reflects a larger trend. For numerous American conservatives, supporting Israel has become a public demonstration of piety, overshadowing the core Gospel of Christianity. Zionism, initially a secular political movement, is now revered as sacred doctrine on the American right. Figures like Klavan blur the lines between religious faith and ethnic nationalism, potentially alienating true believers and independent thinkers.

Christian critics responded by pointing back to Scripture, especially Romans 9:3. Here, Paul does not elevate his kin by ancestry, but grieves for Israel’s rejection of the Messiah: “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” The passage makes clear that no accident of birth can “outrank” faith or salvation in Christ—a message utterly at odds with racial or ethnic privilege.

This episode is symptomatic of a broader trend. For many American conservatives, support for Israel has become a matter of public piety, trumping the very Gospel at the heart of Christianity. Zionism, a movement born from secular political aims, is now treated as sacred dogma on the American right. Speakers like Klavan blur the lines between faith and ethnic nationalism—leaving genuine believers and independent thinkers behind.

As political support for a foreign state is elevated above principle, humility, and scriptural teaching, one has to ask: what, if anything, is left of the conservative movement’s soul?