John Wesley Reid is a native of Southern California who never took interest in a political career as a youth. But after studying political science at Biola University and theology at Liberty University just south of Washington D.C., he realized the imperative need for Christians in the political sphere.
In 2017, John moved to Washington D.C., as a producer with the Christian Broadcasting Network. In this capacity, he focused on the Supreme Court, free speech, and the intersection of faith values in legislation. In his journalism career, John has covered landmark Supreme Court cases such as Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado, Dobbs v. Jackson Whole Women’s Health, 303 Creative v. Elenis, and several more. John has interviewed many members of Congress and political influencers such as Ben Shapiro, Michael Knowles, Megan Basham, Andrew Klavan, and Kristen Waggoner, among many others.
During his six years in Washington D.C., John was also the digital media director for the Family Research Council and the editor-in-chief for Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center.
“As a believer in objective truth, I see no alternative than to ensure that politics are founded on the principles of the Bible, the written Word of the only true God.” – John Wesley Reid
As editor-in-chief for the Standing for Freedom Center, John curated the Theology of Politics series. This collection featured academic-style publications from experts and scholars with the intention of helping Christians navigate where their faith lands them on political matters.
John garnered an interest in Hungarian affairs when his D.C. colleague and former Hungary Foundation fellow, Dr. Lilla Nora Kiss, invited him to a panel she produced with other Hungarians.
“After hearing about Hungary’s history and how much resilience the people of Hungary have, there was no segue in interest. I was quickly very interested in learning more, and eventually, it led to my participation with the Budapest Fellowship.” – John Wesley Reid
Prior to his career in journalism, John served in the United States Marine Corps from 2006-2010 as a military police. In this position, he was assigned to an executive security detail for Presidents George W. Bush and Barrack Obama. Before the military, John grew up in a Christian home and credits the upbringing of his parents to where he is today. John remains very committed to his Christian faith and attends Danube International Church in Budapest, Hungary.
For the duration of his Fellowship, John’s host institution will be the MCC School of Law, mentored by Szabolcs Nagypál. His research topic is Free Speech and Religious Freedom.