Trump's feud with Pope and blasphemous post sparks fury from religious allies

A rare and unprecedented public feud has erupted between Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, sparking widespread dismay across the US Catholic political spectrum and even among some of Trump’s most steadfast evangelical supporters. The clash follows Trump’s verbal assault on the Pope and a controversial social media post depicting himself as a Christ-like saviour.

Pope Leo XIV has maintained that his appeals for peace and criticisms of attitudes fuelling the ongoing war are a Gospel message, not a direct attack on Trump or any individual. He recently denounced the "delusion of omnipotence" that he said was driving the conflict, without explicitly naming Trump or the United States. However, on Monday, he directly addressed the criticisms, stating, "I have no fear of the Trump administration."

The controversy intensified after Trump posted an image on Truth Social that many interpreted as him in a Christ-like pose. Despite the backlash, Trump remained defiant, claiming he never intended to liken himself to Jesus. "How did they come up with that?" he asked. "It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better." Regarding his dispute with the Pope, Trump was equally unyielding: "There’s nothing to apologise for. He’s wrong."

The president’s remarks drew swift condemnation from prominent Catholic figures. Archbishop Paul Coakley, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed dismay, as did Minnesota-based Bishop Robert Barron, who had only days prior applauded Trump as an Easter guest at the White House. Bishop Barron called the president’s comments "entirely inappropriate and disrespectful" and urged him to apologise.

Pope Leo XIV meets the Algerian Community in the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026, on the first day of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

The outrage extended into Trump’s conservative Christian evangelical base, a demographic crucial to his political success. David Brody, a notable Trump-supporting commentator with the Christian Broadcasting Network, posted: "TAKE THIS DOWN, MR. PRESIDENT. You’re not God. None of us are. This goes too far. It crosses the line." The image was subsequently removed from Truth Social. Willy Rice, a candidate for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, stated, "It isn’t hard to condemn this outright," adding, "Many Christians appreciate the President’s administration and have supported him in meaningful ways, but this is wrong." Doug Wilson, co-founder of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, expressed gratitude that "many conservative Christians immediately denounced the blasphemous Jesus/Trump image." Even Megan Basham, a conservative evangelical commentator who agreed with Trump’s criticisms of Leo, assailed the meme as "OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy" and urged Trump to "ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God."

Despite the widespread criticism, some of Trump’s allies sought to downplay the significance of the dispute. Ralph Reed, a member of the president’s faith advisory board, expressed optimism that the incident would soon be forgotten, stating, "There is a deep reservoir of appreciation for the president and his faith-based policies that transcends and eclipses any disagreement over a social media post." Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, dismissed the social media post as "a joke" and suggested the Pope should "stick to matters of morality" and "let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy."

Experts on the Vatican and religious history have highlighted the unprecedented nature of the exchange. David Campbell, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame, noted, "This is unprecedented criticism of a Pope from a US president." Kathleen Sprows Cummings, a professor of American Studies and History at Notre Dame, remarked that while "Emperors, monarchs, and despots have long threatened popes," in an American context, "Trump’s invective does represent a historic reversal." She added, "Today, the menace is in the White House, and the pope is the one defending the ideals of liberty and human dignity."

Trump says the Pope is wrong and doesn't deserve an apology REUTERS

The feud comes just six months before the midterms, as Trump grapples with low approval ratings and dissent within his MAGA base over the Iran war. Historically, the religious right has been a cornerstone of his support. While a majority of US Catholic voters supported Trump in his 2024 presidential victory, an AP-NORC poll found that only about four in ten Catholics approved of his job performance, compared to two-thirds of white born-again Protestants. David Gibson, director of Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture, warned that if this attack on the Pope "does not shift that dynamic in a marked way it will truly be a watershed moment... with American Catholics choosing a Catholic-baiting president over their own pope."

William Barbieri, a Catholic University ethics professor, suggested Trump’s remarks were aimed more at his political base than at Pope Leo himself. He contrasted the Pope’s "calm and measured" response and his pastoral journey to Africa with Trump’s appearance at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, creating a contrast "unflattering to the President."