Trump’s rift with Pope is playing out in public - it’s costing him valuable support

Source: Aleem Maqbool

Aleem Maqbool is a BBC journalist with nearly 20 years of experience, including roles as North America Correspondent (2014–2022), Pakistan Correspondent, and Gaza/West Bank Correspondent. He was appointed BBC Religion Editor after a competitive recruitment process and presents BBC Radio 4's Beyond Belief series. A 2022 petition by Voice for Justice UK (8,907 signatures) opposed his appointment, questioning successive British Asian religion editors.

Source: BBC

The BBC is a British public service broadcaster established in 1922, headquartered in London, and operating under a Royal Charter with governance by the BBC Board. It emphasizes public service obligations but faces ongoing controversies over impartiality, including claims of liberal/left-wing bias, right-wing bias, and bias on transgender topics. These disputes persist despite its public funding model via the UK licence fee.

Source: Bishop Joseph Strickland

Joseph Strickland served as Bishop of Tyler, Texas, from November 28, 2012, until his removal by Pope Francis on November 11, 2023. He now shares Catholic reflections via personal sites like bishopstrickland.com (redirecting to pillarsoffaith.net) and X account @BishStrick. His ecclesiastical background lends authority on Catholic doctrine, but removal without canonical proceedings suggests tensions with Vatican leadership.

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Article claims Trump launched a "lengthy social media attack on the first American pope, as too liberal and too 'weak on crime'", and shared an "AI image of himself as a Christ-like figure" which he later said he thought was a doctor.

Presents specific, inflammatory actions by Trump as fact without evidence, shaping perception of him as anti-Catholic and reckless, potentially eroding his image among readers.

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Quotes Bishop Strickland telling BBC: "I do not believe this conflict meets the criteria of a just war... It becomes very dark when religion is used to justify immoral behaviour... using religion to justify especially dropping bombs", and criticizing Trump's AI image by citing Gospel of Matthew.

Attributes direct, recent anti-Trump/anti-war statements to a prominent conservative ally, implying a major defection without verification, bolstering narrative of shifting Catholic support.

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Claims US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth recited a "highly controversial prayer at a Pentagon worship service that talked of 'overwhelming violence' and 'justice executed swiftly and without remorse'".

Depicts administration as religiously extreme ("bloodthirsty prayer unrecognisable to Catholics"), fueling anti-war Catholic unity narrative.

Source Credibility

Source stacking with multiple quotes from Trump critics (Bishop Strickland, Peter Wolfgang, Steven Greydanus, Rev Antonio Spadaro) portraying conservative Catholic backlash, while past Trump support is noted historically but no current pro-Trump Catholic voices quoted.

Creates impression of broad consensus shift among conservative Catholics against Trump, despite article noting complex Pew data showing his strong 2024 Catholic support.

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States "Pope Leo enjoys high support from both [Democrats and Republicans per Pew]", and "Unusually no senior US Catholic member of clergy publicly has supported the war in Iran".

Undermines Pope Francis's lower Republican support to elevate Leo's unifying appeal, and claims rare clergy consensus against war to amplify backlash.

Missing Context

Trump publicly criticized Pope Leo as "terrible for foreign policy" on Truth Social April 12, 2026, shortly before Pope's response.

Provides Trump's actual verified statement in the feud, rather than unverified "too liberal/weak on crime"; shows mutual exchange, not just Trump's one-sided attack.

Missing Context

The 2026 Iran war escalated from Iran's nuclear program advancements and 2025–2026 anti-government protests, with US/Israeli strikes responding to Iranian aggression including assassination of Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Article frames war via Catholic "just war" critique without causal context (e.g., Iran's provocations), presenting it as unjust aggression initiated by US.