T.J. Shope, an Arizona State Senator representing the 16th Senate District and a Republican elected in 2023, recently posted several statements on his social media account commenting on international affairs.
On September 21, 2025, Shope wrote: “The once great British Empire has truly fallen…”
Continuing his commentary early the next day, he stated: “And those not marked in Green are the correct ones. Palestine does not and shall not exist. Especially if Hamas is the defacto government, as it is now.” This post references geopolitical issues surrounding Palestine and its governance.
Shortly thereafter, Shope added: “Congrats to the former great British Empire. You stand with actual genocide.”
Shope’s remarks come at a time of heightened tensions in global politics regarding recognition of Palestinian statehood and criticisms directed at international actors for their positions on related conflicts. As background, T.J. Shope was elected to the Arizona State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 16th Senate District, succeeding Kelly Townsend.
