Tensions between US President Donald Trump and Pope Leo have escalated, drawing criticism not only from traditional Catholic leaders but also from conservative allies, and raising questions about Trump’s support among Catholic voters, reports the BBC.
Trump has long faced opposition from church leaders, particularly over immigration. But the backlash in recent days has been broader, triggered by his social media attack on Pope Leo, whom he called too liberal and “weak on crime”, and his sharing of an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Christ-like figure.
What is notable is the source of some of the criticism. Conservative Catholics who have backed Trump are now voicing concern, driven partly by his public friction with the pope and his stance on the Iran war.
Bishop Joseph Strickland, once a strong Trump ally, has broken ranks. He said the conflict does not meet the criteria of a “just war” and backed Pope Leo’s call for peace.
“I do not believe this conflict meets the criteria of a just war. I stand with the Holy Father and his call for peace. This is not about politics. It is about moral truth,” Strickland said.
Strickland had previously aligned closely with Trump, including speaking at political events. His shift underscores a broader unease among some conservative Catholics. He has also urged others to question the administration’s position, warning against using religion to justify war.
The shift carries political risk. Trump expanded his support among Catholics in the 2024 election. According to Pew Research Centre, 62 per cent of White Catholics backed Trump and 37 per cent Kamala Harris, while 41 per cent of Hispanic Catholics supported Trump and 58 per cent Harris.
Despite those splits, analysts say Catholic voters in the US often align along party lines, with politics outweighing faith in shaping views.
Greg Smith of Pew said divisions over issues such as abortion and immigration usually dominate. The current alignment across Catholic groups over the Iran conflict is therefore unusual. Views of the papacy reflect similar complexity. Pope Francis was more popular among Catholic Democrats, while
Pope Leo appears to draw support from both political camps. Francis was seen as a progressive figure who at times alienated traditionalists, including restrictions on the Latin Mass, which Leo has since eased.
Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut and a prominent conservative Catholic voice, has supported Trump on issues such as abortion and immigration but is critical of his attacks on the pope.
“President Trump does not understand how Catholicism works. The Pope is not merely a head of state; he is the Vicar of Christ. Attacks on him are received as attacks on the Church itself. The more he attacks the Pope the more his support will drop among his Catholic voters,” Wolfgang said.
He said his faith shapes both his earlier support for Trump and his opposition to the war, adding that rhetoric from US officials has been difficult for many Catholics to reconcile with their beliefs.
No senior Catholic clergy in the United States has publicly backed the war. Even Bishop Robert Barron, seen as close to Trump, has called for an apology over the president’s criticism of Pope Leo.
On the liberal side, commentator Steven Greydanus also pointed to a rare convergence, citing concerns over the administration’s interpretation of “Just War Theory” and the contrast between Trump’s rhetoric and the pope’s emphasis on peace.
The Vatican has framed the issue not as a personal dispute but as a moral stance against the war. Pope Leo has criticised threats of large-scale destruction as unacceptable. Reverend Antonio Spadaro said the pope’s public statements aim to define moral limits while diplomacy continues behind the scenes.
While tensions have exposed divisions, they have also underscored the influence of the papacy. “If Leo were irrelevant, he would not deserve a word. Instead, he is invoked, named, opposed — a sign that his words matter,” Spadaro said.
