Jackson Duggar, 21, Denies His Disgraced Family Is 'In a Cult' In Resurfaced Interview at Turning Point USA Event — 'People Try to Feed You Lies'
Jackson Duggar denied his family is part of a 'cult' in a recent interview.
March 26 2026, Published 2:47 p.m. ET
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's 15th child, son Jackson, denied his deeply religious family was part of a "cult" in a newly resurfaced video, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In it, the former reality star, 21, seemingly tried to dismiss his family's ties to the Institute in Basic Life Principles founder Bill Gothard, who was accused by more than 30 women of inappropriate sexual conduct.
'We Were Not in a Cult'
Jackson Duggar made a rare appearance on sister Jinger Duggar's podcast in January.
Digital creator Joe Bonham caught up with Jackson at Turning Point USA's AmFest, where he didn't recognize the former TLC star.
Jackson, who was wearing a "47" hat in support of President Donald Trump, explained how he was born during the filming of 19 Kids and Counting, as the camera panned to show Jim Bob and several of his younger daughters looking on at the interview.
"What's something about the show that nobody knows about?" Bonham asked.
"A lot of people think we were in a cult. And the cue is we were not in a cult," Jackson dished.
Jackson Duggar Claims Family Wasn't Part of 'Everything' Bill Gothard Did
Jackson Duggar praised how his parents raised their family in a deeply religious setting.
When Bonham asked Jackson why viewers might have believed the Duggars were part of a "cult, " he pinned it on Gothard.
"Because of a man named Bill Gothard, who went around and shared the gospel and just did different things, but he also had some other things that were kind of off," he continued, seemingly hinting at the IBLP founder and his controversies, including a sexual abuse lawsuit.
"We went to his conferences, you know, once, twice a year. We were involved a lot with what he did, but we were not a part of everything. So, a lot of people think we're in a cult," Jackson explained about him, his parents, and his 18 siblings.
He added, "We grew up with great parents who taught us about the Bible and shared the gospel with us.
'People Try to Feed You Lies'
Jackson Duggar referenced the Amazon Prime docuseries about his family and the IBLP.
"Just because you were religious, they thought you were in a cult?" a somewhat confused Bonham asked Jackson, who once again brought up Gothard and Shiny Happy People, the Amazon Prime docuseries about the Duggars and their ties to the controversial IBLP leader.
"Yes. Many times. Yeah. And that, and also because of a man who they thought was a cult leader or different things like that," he explained.
"And Amazon Prime actually did a whole documentary on it. People try to give you lies. People try to feed you lies, but the truth in the end will win out," Jackson shared. "And the Holy Spirit of God, who is inside living and can teach us and lead us and guide us into all truth."
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'He's Been Brainwashed'
The resurfaced interview comes on the heels of Joe Duggar's child molestation arrest.
The video resurfaced in a Reddit thread on March 25, six days after Jackson's older brother, Joseph, was arrested for allegedly molesting a then-nine-year-old girl in 2020 while on a family vacation in Florida.
"As the saying goes, if you have to say you’re not in a cult, you’re probably in a cult," one user commented.
"Imagine just casually stating to anyone that you are not in a cult. Then weeks later, your second cult member is arrested for CSA," a second observed about Joe, while also referring to how the eldest Duggar son, Josh, admitted to molesting his younger sisters when he was a teen.
"That’s what’s so insidious about fundie culture like IFBP: they turn every family into their own cult and the father into the cult leader whose authority isn’t dare questioned," a third user pointed out, referring to Jim Bob.
A fourth person lamented, "This is sad. I don’t blame him, though he’s just a kid and he’s been brainwashed his whole life."
