Rep. Joe Wilson: Orthodox Christians in America 'Could Serve as Vehicles' of Foreign Influence
In one fell swoop, an article published by The Hill and charged comments by U.S. policymakers target the Orthodox faithful of the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday afternoon, an article titled, “White House to meet clergy with ties to pro-war Russian Orthodox Church” was published by Laura Kelly of The Hill. This article was written about meetings between Orthodox laypeople, priests, and bishops with members of the Trump administration that are set to take place Tuesday on Capitol Hill. The topic of discussion is the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).
In that article, it was reported that Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) had written a draft letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi asking her to investigate “whether the Russian Federation or its intelligence services have sought to recruit, leverage, influence or compromise U.S.-based Orthodox churches with ties to Moscow.”
In this instance, “ties to Moscow” simply means communion with the Moscow Patriarchate, as the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Antioch, Serbia, and ROCOR will all have representation in D.C. on Tuesday.
“It has come to my attention that ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) is actively seeking to expand its political influence in the United States, including through an event reportedly scheduled for November 18, 2025, aimed at lobbying Members of Congress and their staff,” Kelly quotes the draft letter — which was signed by additional House Republicans — as saying. “This development raises legitimate concerns that ROCOR or other Russian Orthodox jurisdictions could serve as vehicles for intelligence collection or foreign influence operations directed at U.S. policymakers.”
Interestingly, after a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa earlier this month, Wilson — who is a member of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus — said, “Grateful to meet with President al-Sharaa. A free, united, prosperous Syria is the biggest opportunity since the end of the Cold War.”
Syrian President al-Sharaa (second from right) and Rep. Wilson (right). Photo: Joe Wilson/X
Al-Sharaa is a former member of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group that splintered from al-Qaeda in 2016 and that has been responsible for the death and displacement of numerous Antiochian Orthodox Christians - Christians who could be called “vehicles for intelligence collection or foreign influence operations” using Wilson’s standards.
Finally, in a post on X, Wilson said that those planning to meet with the Orthodox delegation “should not entertain this intelligence operation.” One comment on social media, while speaking about Orthodox Christians who live and work in America, said: “We have no business allowing these guys in the U.S. Who approved this?”
Inaccuracies and omissions
Elsewhere in the article, Kelly describes the UOC as an “offshoot of the Russian Orthodox Church,” despite a 2022 council chaired by its primate, Met. Onuphry, declaring that the UOC is completely independent of the Moscow Patriarchate. Furthermore, Met. Onuphry stopped participation in the Holy Council of the ROC, and the commemoration of Pat. Kirill in the divine services of the UOC was put to an end following the Patriarch’s justification of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The article also stated that Bishop Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America “recently met in April with Putin and Patriarch Kirill, a key Putin ally accused of being a veteran of the Soviet-era spy agency, the KGB.”
Bishop Irinej did no such thing. Now, the article from The Hill begins with this statement:
CORRECTION: The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill in Moscow in April. An earlier version of this story included incorrect information.
However, the original statement about Bishop Irinej remains in the body of the article.
Met. Saba (Antiochian), Abp. Elpidophoros (Greek), and Bsp. Irinej (Serbian) watch a dance troupe at a reception during the recent Assembly of Bishops events in Denver. Photo: Aaron Hickman/UOJ-USA
Also, buried further down in the article is this crucial piece of context:
“In August 2024, Ukraine banned the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), a move that largely targeted the church’s offshoot in the country, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarch.
The move was criticized by the United Nations, the pope, and human rights organizations as an assault on religious freedom, and some analysts raised alarm that it was an overreach by Kyiv in its push to disrupt the ROC’s influence and operations in Ukraine.”
Thus, Orthodox Christians aren't the only ones who see an issue with what is happening in Ukraine.
Comments from Orthodox clergy and personalities
Fr. Thomas Soroka: “Get ready for the 21st century McCarthy-style purges, led by neocon Joe Wilson of SC.”
Fr. Michael Lillie: “Spiritual warfare is also material. Lord give us strength and wisdom.”
Fr. John Whiteford: “South Carolina is not sending their best. Congressman Joe Wilson has asked Pam Bondi to go after ROCOR and the OCA as agents of Russian influence because we are opposing the Ukrainian government beating up old ladies, stealing churches, imprisoning bishops, and drafting clergy and monks into the army.”
Dcn. Chris Purdef: “It would help if you actually knew what you were talking about. Peace unto you.”
Reader Paul Trinca to Rep. Wilson: “This is outright despicable; actively fostering the persecution of Christians in your own country. May God grant you grace unto repentance and the wisdom to immediately retract this careless and unfathomably irresponsible slander before you end up with innocent blood on your hands.”
Reader Paul Trinca to Laura Kelly: “This is a disgusting and slanderous article. Totally irresponsible ‘journalism’ that could have real world consequences that impact innocent people in your own country. Lord have mercy.”
Orthodox History (Matthew Namee): “This is an extraordinarily inaccurate article. Very disappointing.”
To this point, the White House Faith Office and the Trump administration overall have stood firm on holding the meetings, despite outside pressure not to do so.
“The White House Faith Office will meet with a delegation of American representatives from the Orthodox church to discuss the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” a White House official said in a statement to The Hill. “The Faith Office regularly meets with advocacy groups and religious leaders upon request to discuss issues related to faith in our country and around the world.”
Previously, UOJ reported that OCU-backed militants seized the historic Transfiguration Cathedral of the UOC in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine.
