Trump’s Feud With Pope Sparks Fractures in MAGA Base

President Donald Trump has entered into a public dispute with Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, following the pontiff’s repeated criticisms of the United States’ war with Iran.

The conflict escalated on April 13, 2026, when President Trump published a lengthy social media post attacking the pope. In the post, Trump described Pope Leo as WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy and suggested that the pope was elected primarily because his American nationality was viewed as the best way to manage the U.S. President.

Trump further asserted that Pope Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician, claiming that the pontiff was damaging the Catholic Church.

Controversy Over AI-Generated Imagery

The feud intensified when President Trump posted an apparently AI-generated image depicting himself as a Christ-like figure healing a sick person. The image drew immediate condemnation from critics and some of Trump’s own supporters, including the Knights Templar International, who labeled the depiction as blasphemous.

Trump subsequently deleted the post. On April 13, 2026, he claimed that he believed the image depicted him as a doctor, though reports indicate the image did not show him as such.

Reaction From Catholic Leadership

The president’s remarks have caused significant dismay among U.S. Catholics, a demographic that provided critical support during his 2024 presidential victory. Data indicates Trump won between 55% and 59% of Catholic voters in that election.

Bishop Robert Barron, a member of Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, characterized the president’s social media attack as entirely inappropriate and disrespectful and stated that the President owes the Pope an apology.

the academic dean of the school where Pope Leo XIV studied expressed support for the pope’s anti-war comments made on Easter, stating that those comments align with gospel teachings.

Broader Political Fallout

The clash with the papacy coincides with broader fractures within the president’s MAGA coalition. Trump has also targeted former allies who criticized the joint US-Israeli war against Iran, including conservative commentators Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Alex Jones, and Candace Owens.

In a Truth Social post on Thursday, April 10, 2026, Trump referred to these former supporters as stupid people and losers, claiming their views are now the opposite of the Make America Great Again movement.

These developments occur as Pope Leo XIV began an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa. On April 13, 2026, the pope met with the Algerian Community in the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers and visited the Presidential Palace in Algiers.