President Trump’s clash with Pope Leo XIV over Iran and immigration risks alienating religious voters ahead of crucial US midterm elections.
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s escalating feud with Pope Leo XIV risks serious political fallout at home. The unprecedented clash between the US leader and the head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics shows no signs of abating.
Trump has drawn criticism for his attacks on the US-born pontiff, who has condemned the administration’s Iran war and immigration crackdown. This risks alienating the religious right in November’s crucial midterm elections.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. He’s wrong,” the 79-year-old Trump told reporters at the White House. He previously called the pontiff “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy” in a social media post.
For his part, Pope Leo told reporters he has “no fear, neither of the Trump administration nor speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel.” He had earlier branded Trump’s threat to destroy a civilisation in Iran as “truly unacceptable.”
The row intensified when Trump posted an AI-generated image seemingly depicting himself as a Christ-like figure, which he later deleted. He insisted the image showed himself as a doctor.
This followed an Easter Sunday post where Trump used profanity against Iran and signed off with “Praise be to Allah.” These actions have dismayed some Christian allies.
“I am disheartened that the president chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father,” said Archbishop Paul Coakley, head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Former ally Marjorie Taylor-Greene denounced Trump’s actions, stating she was “praying against it.” Conservative commentator Riley Gaines also railed against the apparent Jesus image, urging Trump to show humility.
Any slackening of support on the religious right adds to Republican concerns about losing Congress. The economy is already a worry amid high oil prices caused by the Iran war.
US Vice President JD Vance, a recent Catholic convert, backed Trump. He suggested the Vatican should “stick to matters of morality” and let the president dictate American policy.
Trump has long reached out to evangelical Christians with his conservative vision. They backed him in 2016 and 2024 despite scandals and an ambiguous personal relationship with religion.
He has taken a more explicitly religious tone since an assassination attempt in 2024. At his second inauguration, he said he had been “saved by God.”
