Full Breakdown
Brian Houston Addresses Pornography Posting on His X Account
5/22/2026, 3:32:32 AM
Core Incident: Pornographic Video Appears on Houston’s X Account
The Daily Beast reported that on May 12, 2024, at approximately 2 a.m. Pacific time, an explicit video titled “The Classic Pornostar Era 80/90/2000” was posted on Brian Houston’s X account. The clip remained online for several minutes before being deleted. Houston later asserted that his account had been “compromised overnight.”
Background & Context
Brian Houston, founder of the Hillsong megachurch, resigned in 2022 after two women alleged sexual misconduct. He was also accused of failing to alert authorities when he learned that his father, preacher Frank Houston, had sexually abused a child in the 1970s. In 2023, an Australian court found him not guilty of concealing the abuse; during the trial he described his father as a “serial paedophile.” Houston previously prayed over President Donald Trump in 2019, and the church counted Justin Bieber and Chris Pratt among its high-profile supporters.
Timeline of Key Events
- 2019 – Houston prayed over President Donald Trump.
- 2022 – Resigned from Hillsong following misconduct allegations.
- 2023 – Acquitted of concealing his father’s abuse; called father a “serial paedophile.”
- May 12, 2024 – Pornographic video posted on his X account.
- May 13, 2024 – Released a Facebook video responding to the incident.
Official Statements & Responses
Houston posted that his X account had been “compromised overnight.” In a subsequent Facebook video he said, “I do not watch pornography, not online, not on social media, nowhere else,” adding that after more than 54 years in ministry he has “seen the fallout of pornography on individuals, on marriages, on families, and I detest it.”
Criticism & Opposition
The public record includes allegations of sexual misconduct from two women that led to Houston’s 2022 resignation, as well as accusations that he did not alert authorities after learning of his father Frank Houston’s 1970s child sexual abuse. These prior controversies are noted in the source, though it does not include direct statements from opposing parties.
Data & Statistics
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The claim that Houston’s account was compromised is presented solely by Houston; the source provides no independent verification or details about the source of the video or any technical investigation.
Verbatim Quotes
2. “A good starting point is to say I do not watch pornography, not online, not on social media, nowhere else,” — Brian Houston
3. “I’ve been in active ministry for over 54 years, and in that time I’ve seen the fallout of pornography on individuals, on marriages, on families, and I detest it,” — Brian Houston
What’s Next
No further statements have been reported. Additional clarification from Houston or any investigation into the alleged account breach may emerge in the coming weeks.
