Trump Urged to Intervene After Australian Inquiry Targets Christian Church

Lucas Miles, vice president of faith at Turning Point USA, has asked President Donald Trump to step in after Australian officials questioned a Christian church leader about his beliefs. The hearing went far beyond politics. Lawmakers grilled Bruce Hales on whether he acts as a direct messenger from God and if members look to him for advice on marriage, housing, pets, clothing, and even facial hair.

Miles told Fox News Digital that he contacted the White House Faith Office and several administration officials regarding what he calls a politically motivated investigation into the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. "We've reached out to the faith office, we've reached out to several members of the administration to make sure that they're aware of this," Miles said. "We're hoping to see some response and action soon."

The controversy hit a peak during an Oct. 16 parliamentary hearing looking into claims of coordinated political activity by church members during Australia's 2025 federal election. Independent MP Monique Ryan asked Hales if followers viewed him as an "elect vessel" or a direct messenger from God. She also pressed him on whether his guidance covered marriage, housing, pets, clothing and facial hair. Liberal MP Ben Small objected to the line of questioning, calling it "patently ridiculous" and "so far off the terms of reference for this inquiry." Another lawmaker noted that hairstyles had no bearing on electoral matters, yet the committee chair allowed the interrogation to continue.

"When an Australian parliamentary committee tasked with investigating election matters begins interrogating a Christian leader about his theological convictions, serious questions must be asked about the purpose of the inquiry," Miles said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "Bruce Hales was summoned to answer questions about electoral conduct, not to defend the doctrines of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church before the government," he added.

Miles argued that this shift from election oversight to religious scrutiny looks like a politically motivated witch hunt. "The troubling shift from election oversight to religious scrutiny gives every appearance of a politically motivated witch hunt," he said. Hales denied directing, funding or coordinating political campaigning during the 2025 election. He maintained that church members acted independently. "I had no involvement whatsoever in relation to any members who volunteered or took part in any aspect of the 2025 federal election," Hales told the committee.

Lawmakers questioned whether a sermon where Hales said Australia needed to be "happy again, smiling again" influenced members' political activities because subsequent campaign messaging echoed his words. His son, Gareth, acknowledged encouraging people already involved in campaigning but denied directing an organized church campaign. The committee is also examining allegations of intimidation and coordinated campaigning during the election.

This situation highlights a troubling reality where religious leaders face scrutiny over their theology rather than standard electoral conduct. It suggests that some groups have limited access to fair treatment while others operate under intense political pressure. Communities risk seeing faith-based organizations treated as political targets instead of protected entities. The facts show a pattern where specific questions about personal belief systems are mixed into routine election investigations. This creates an uneven playing field that could chill free exercise of religion if left unchecked.

Church leaders flatly denied organizing or condoning any improper conduct. Hales stated he never supported harassment or intimidation and insisted that individual members must answer for their own actions. "In a free society, government has every right to investigate violations of election law, but it has no business putting Christian doctrine on trial," Miles said.

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church traces its roots back roughly 200 years. Its roughly 55,000 members worldwide follow a "Doctrine of Separation." This group distances itself from certain secular activities and practices they believe conflict with biblical teachings. The church rejects labels calling the denomination a cult. They maintain that their members freely practice their faith while contributing to communities through businesses and charitable initiatives.

The hearing also turned its attention to the United States. Sen. Steph Hodgins-May questioned Hales about Turning Point USA's support for the church and whether church leaders had met with the Trump administration. Hales said he had never met Trump but understood that some church members in New York had briefly met the president.

Miles, who is not a member of the denomination, wants Trump to apply diplomatic pressure on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He urges an end to the inquiry right now. "What I would like to see, first of all, is some pressure applied, whether that be through diplomatic channels or through the president himself," Miles told Fox News Digital.

Miles said he remains hopeful the administration will take action. He warned that this controversy could establish a troubling precedent for American churches. He pointed to past disputes involving religious organizations and government restrictions in the United States. "If this can happen in Australia, if it can happen places like England and Canada, it certainly can happen America if we don't stay alert," he said.

Miles emphasized that Christians should be free to participate in politics without their churches automatically being held responsible for individual choices. "Just because individual private citizens who happen to go to a church have a similar opinion about politics, that does not constitute a grand conspiracy," he said. He urged Trump to pursue what he called "faith-based diplomacy" to defend religious liberty abroad.

"Religious liberty means nothing if it only protects those whose beliefs the government approves of," Miles said. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.