The Trump administration's memorandum of understanding with Iran has sparked a heated debate within the evangelical community, with some leaders expressing concerns that the agreement may harm Israel.
President Donald Trump recently threatened to re-escalate U.S. military strikes against Iran after Tehran continued attacks in the Strait of Hormuz following a weekend of strikes against Kuwait and Bahrain.
The split among evangelical leaders is emerging at a delicate moment for Trump, who is trying to turn military pressure on Iran into a diplomatic framework without alienating supporters who helped power his political coalition.
Supporters of the MOU argue that Trump has earned trust by weakening Tehran first, while critics say any deal that gives Iran relief before its threat to Israel is permanently neutralized risks betraying the alliance his base expects him to protect.
Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem and a close evangelical ally of Trump, said many people are underestimating the American president.
Evans cited Trump's role in ending the Gaza war, releasing hostages, and breaking the back of the Iranian regime, including destroying its navy, air force, missile defense, and leadership.
Evans emphasized that there are 750 million Bible-believing Christians worldwide who identify as Zionists and agree that Israel is the biblical homeland given by God to the Jewish people through Abraham.
According to Evans, Trump met with Christian groups during his presidential campaign and asked for their support, promising to stand by Christian values in the United States and support the State of Israel.
Evans expressed confidence in Trump's commitment, saying, "He promised to do both and so far he's exceeded all of our expectations."
U.S. officials worked with the Israel Defense Forces to complete Operation Epic Fury in February, which was a 38-day effort to dismantle the Iranian regime's military capabilities.
White House Spokesperson Olivia Wales stated, "Following the historic destruction of Iran's military capabilities through the successful Operation Epic Fury, President Trump and his negotiating team have brokered an excellent, performance-based MOU that advances the interests of the United States by ending the fighting, reopening the Strait of Hormuz to significantly lower energy prices, and forcing Iran to commit to abandon its nuclear ambitions."
Rev. Johnnie Moore, President of The Congress of Christian Leaders, emphasized the importance of accountability and action in confronting the Iranian regime.
Moore said, "Evangelicals know, and President Trump knows, that words on paper don't change terrorists. Accountability does. Action does. This President has been willing to confront the Iranian regime in ways no predecessor would, and the regime has never been weaker."
Moore added, "The nuclear threat, at least for now, is gone. What brought Iran to this table was not a memorandum — it was precise and unrelenting military action that shattered their nuclear ambitions and broke their conventional forces."
However, not all evangelical leaders are supportive of the MOU. Laurie Cardoza-Moore, president of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, expressed concern that the agreement may be a betrayal of Israel.
Cardoza-Moore stated, "One of our core issues is the Biblical requirement to stand with Israel and G-d's chosen people as described in the Books of Genesis and Obadiah. As the Bible teaches, those who stand with Israel will be blessed, and those who curse her will be cursed."
Pastor John Hagee, founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel, also criticized the MOU, saying it appears ill-advised and may lead to forever negotiations with a highly militarized radical Islamist regime.
Hagee emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Israel alliance and the divine mandate to stand with Israel, saying, "From a religious perspective, we have a divine mandate to stand with Israel. From a national security perspective, we have no stronger or wiser ally anywhere in the world."
Dr. Jürgen Bühler, president of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), shared the sense of most Israelis that the war against the Iranian threat has been stopped short of its needed objective.
Bühler emphasized the importance of genuine regime change in Tehran, saying, "We have not given up hope that the Iranian people themselves will be able to rise up and overcome their oppressive rulers and steer their nation away from this self-destructive obsession with destroying Israel."
Heather Johnston, founder and president of the U.S.-Israel Education Association, stated that the U.S.-Israel relationship has advanced American interests for decades and should be strengthened — not strained — by U.S. diplomacy with Iran.
Johnston cautioned that any diplomacy with Iran should be measured against whether it advances or undermines the progress made by the U.S.-Israel alliance.
