For centuries, kings, emperors and politicians around the world have sought the favor of the Pope. The Vatican has played a pivotal role in shaping history—supporting conquests, crowning Holy Roman Emperors, amassing wealth, and waging wars against those seeking to control the once-dominant power of the Holy See—and only recently has the Pope largely limited its role to religious leadership. For donald trumpAppearing to see itself not only as an American king but also as the messianic leader of a religious movement, the papacy has come to represent what it represented for many historical autocrats: a perceived threat to their power.
Pope Leo XIVThe first American pope to lead the church in its 2,000-year history, he has become one of the most prominent global critics of Trump’s domestic and international agenda. Often without overtly naming Trump or members of his administration, Leo has relied on the gospel and church teachings to condemn the mistreatment of immigrants and has emphasized the godlessness of war. Fed up with being subtweeted by the pontiff, the president nailed his proverbial Ninety-Five Theses on the doors of his church on Sunday night: Social Truth.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on crime and terrible on foreign policy,” Trump wrote as part of a long rant attacking the leader of the Catholic Church.
As expected, Catholics and political leaders around the world were shocked.
“I am disheartened that the President has chosen to write such derogatory words about the Holy Father. Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls,” he said in a statement.
Bishop Robert Barron, member of Trump’s “Religious Liberty Commission.” wrote on social media that the president’s attacks against the Pope were “inappropriate and disrespectful.”
“It is the prerogative of the Pope to articulate Catholic doctrine and the principles that govern moral life,” he added. “I would warmly recommend that serious Catholics within the Trump administration (Secretary Rubio, Vice President Vance, Ambassador Brian Burch and others) meet with Vatican officials so that real dialogue can take place.”
Spanish President Pedro Sánchez. wrote in X that “although sometimes the world has wars, Leo
Equally prominent Republicans and MAGA influencers rejected Trump’s blasphemy, which also included a post depicting him as a Christ-like figure, emanating light while healing a man.
Christian nationalist pastor Joel Webbon, who has been encouraged by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, wrote on Sunday in X that he “really” believes that “Trump is currently possessed by a demon.”
“Is Donald Trump the Antichrist?” Webbon asked in a video posted to social media later Monday.
Meanwhile, MAGA influencer Brilyn Hollyhand, called Trump’s wave of religious posts is a form of “blatant blasphemy,” writing that “faith is not an accessory. There is no need to present yourself as a savior when your record should speak for itself.”
Conservative commentator Riley Gaines seemed more confused than anything. “Why? I seriously can’t understand why you would post this. Are you looking for an answer? Do you really think this?” he wrote, adding: “God will not be mocked.”
Congressional Republicans have remained silent on Trump’s posts, although Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said The Philadelphia Investigator that it was “shameful, beneath the dignity of the presidency and offensive to Catholics in all corners of the world.”
“To suggest that a Pope somehow owes his place to a politician is absurd. As a lifelong Catholic, these comments [are] an insult to the Church, an affront to the faithful and to many Catholics, clearly sacrilegious,” Fitzpatrick added. “Degrading the Holy Father while elevating oneself is not strength. “It’s arrogance.”
Prominent Catholic officials in the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have remained silent on the matter.
At a press conference Monday at the White House, Trump reclaimed that he had thought that the image of him as Jesus was intended to represent him “as a doctor,” healing the sick. “I posted it and I thought it was me as a doctor. And it had to do with the Red Cross as a Red Cross worker, which we support and only fake news could have generated that,” Trump said.
The president also redoubled his attacks on the Pope, telling reporters: “Pope Leo said things that were wrong, he was very against what I’m doing regarding Iran. He’s weak on criminality. He made it public. I’m just responding to Pope Leo. There’s nothing to apologize for.”
For his part, Pope Leo is not intimidated by the president’s anger. “I am not afraid, either of the Trump administration, or of speaking out loud about the message of the Gospel. And that is what I believe I am called to do here,” Leo told reporters on our way to a 10-day trip to Algeria. “I am called to do and what the Church is called to do. We are not politicians. We do not seek to do foreign policy, like [Trump] calls him, with the same perspective that he could understand it.”
“But I do believe that the Gospel message, ‘blessed are the peacemakers,’ is a message the world needs to hear today,” he added.
