US Catholics unsettled by Trump’s feud with Pope

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Donald Trump’s war of words with Pope Leo has angered some American Catholics, a key voting bloc, who say the US president has gone too far in his criticism of the pontiff.

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Trump has clashed with Leo on everything from Iran to immigration and recently dismissed the pontiff as “weak” in an unprecedented personal attack on a pope by a US leader.

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Leo, who was born in Chicago, has said he has a moral duty to speak out against war.

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“For an ignoramus like Trump to try to question the theological outlook of an ordained priest is totally ridiculous,” Jim Supp, 88, told AFP outside a church in New York City on Friday.

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Supp was particularly angered by Trump’s recent posting of an AI-generated image seemingly depicting him as a figure like Jesus Christ, which was later deleted.

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“There are certain things in life not to joke about,” said the retired classics professor.

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For 68-year-old John O’Brian, a former advertising executive, sharing the image was akin to “blasphemy for Christians.”

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The pope, for his part, has warned of the dangers of AI abuse following Trump’s post — without directly referencing it.

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– ‘Don’t mess with him’ –

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Traditionally, US presidents have been wary of upsetting American Catholics by speaking out too much against a pope.

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But Trump has taken no such caution, despite winning the 2024 election with support from a majority of Catholic voters.

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The war in the Middle East has proved a pinch point, with Leo condemning the president’s threat to attack Iranian civilisation as “unacceptable.”

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Trump retaliated by calling the pontiff “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”

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The public sparring marks a potential vulnerability for Republicans ahead of November’s midterms — even among more conservative Catholics.

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Anthony Clark, a policy fellow with an anti-abortion group, told AFP outside a Catholic basilica in Washington that he sees Trump as a “very good president” with good intentions.

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“But I think that intentions aren’t everything, and I think he can be imprudent at times in what he says or in the way that he approaches especially controversial topics,” the 20-year-old added.

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Popes, too, typically do not interfere in politics. However, the pontiff’s defiance has earned him respect from some.

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“I’m really glad that Pope Leo stood his ground when he said he’s not afraid of the administration,” Carolina Herrera, 22, said in Washington.

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“You should not mess with the pope, no matter what, don’t mess with him.”

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– ‘Very harsh’ –

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Trump himself is not known to be personally religious. The thrice-married realtor and former television celebrity was raised Presbyterian and rarely attended religious services.

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But since entering politics, he has embraced the Christian right.

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Christian conservatives have hailed Trump for helping them achieve their priority — the end of the nationwide right to abortion, thanks to the justices Trump appointed to the Supreme Court.

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At a church in Houston, in the Republican heartland state of Texas, some attending midday mass faulted both the president and the pope.

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“I don’t think either of them is acting the way they should be acting,” said Ann, a white woman in her 70s who did not want to share her last name.

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“I think [the pope] has been very harsh on America,” she added.

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“Jesus had a personal message. He did not say presidents, dictators, premiers, or kings could not protect their people and their countries.”

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Manuel, a 67-year-old Latino, said he simply hopes Trump and the pope will reconcile their differences.

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“Because right now, this is mainly about peace. We need peace in the Middle East,” he said.

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AFP

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