US President Donald Trump’s recent clash with Pope Leo XIV has exposed divisions within his own political base, as some prominent Republicans have rallied behind his attacks while others have publicly distanced themselves.
The dispute began after Pope Leo, the first American-born pontiff, criticized US and Israeli military actions against Iran, describing Trump’s threats to destroy Iranian civilization as “truly unacceptable.” The Pope also voiced concern over the administration’s immigration policies.
Trump responded with a social media tirade, labelling the Pope “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” and posting an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure surrounded by fighter jets and US flags.
The controversy has split Republican ranks. Several high-profile figures have defended Trump’s position. Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading foreign policy hawk, accused the Pope of “miscalculating” and invoked historical parallels, claiming the Catholic Church “didn’t really get Hitler.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, an evangelical Protestant, suggested the Pope had “waded into political waters” and offered a theological critique, arguing the pontiff misunderstood the doctrine of “just war” — a position developed by Saint Augustine, under whom Pope Leo served as a friar for twelve years.
Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic convert, also weighed in, urging the Pope to “be careful when he talks about matters of theology,” while Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio delivered a personal rebuke, saying his “mother would be ashamed of the current pope.” Trump’s border chief Tom Homan, describing himself as a “lifelong Catholic,” told the Vatican to “stay out of immigration.”
Other Republicans, however, have pushed back. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called on Trump to “leave the church alone,” while Senator Susan Collins, a Catholic, described the president’s remarks as “offensive and inexplicable,” adding that “he should not be treating the Pope as a political rival.”
The feud has also unsettled some of Trump’s most vocal supporters. Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene denounced the AI-generated image as “blasphemy,” particularly given its timing on Orthodox Easter. Conservative commentators Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones have all delivered scathing critiques, with Owens and Jones going so far as to call for Trump’s removal under the 25th Amendment, describing him as a “genocidal lunatic.”
The rift underscores growing fractures within the MAGA movement, as Trump’s policy shifts — including on Iran — and his confrontational style continue to test the loyalty of his base.
