Jonathan Frederic De Santos

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Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177647535141217761249291411775085718699HEgqmPPa0AA2woE.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">US President Donald Trump warned Monday that any Iranian attack boats that approach the American naval blockade around Iran&#x27;s ports would be destroyed, despite international calls for a ceasefire to be respected and negotiations to resume. 📷༘ White House/X </span></span></span></div><p>NEW YORK — Donald Trump&#x27;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.</p><p>Trump has clashed with Leo on everything from Iran to immigration and recently dismissed the pontiff as &quot;weak&quot; in an unprecedented personal attack on a pope by a US leader.</p><p>Leo, who was born in Chicago, has said he has a moral duty to speak out against war.</p><p>&quot;For an ignoramus like Trump to try to question the theological outlook of an ordained priest is totally ridiculous,&quot; Jim Supp, 88, told AFP outside a church in New York City on Friday.</p><p>Supp was particularly angered by Trump&#x27;s recent posting of an AI-generated image seemingly depicting himself as a figure like Jesus Christ, which was later deleted.</p><p>&quot;There are certain things in life not to joke about,&quot; said the retired classics professor.</p><p>For 68-year-old John O&#x27;Brian, a former advertising executive, sharing the image was akin to &quot;blasphemy for Christians.&quot;</p><p>The pope, for his part, has warned of the dangers of AI abuse following Trump&#x27;s post — without directly referencing it.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/16/trump-posts-image-of-himself-with-jesus-as-pope-criticism-continues-0707">Trump posts image of himself with Jesus as pope criticism continues<br/></a></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17764749520641776474948746.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter&#x27;s Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. Alberto Pizzoli, AFP </span></span></span></div><div><strong>&#x27;Don&#x27;t mess with him&#x27;</strong></div><p>Traditionally, US presidents have been wary of upsetting American Catholics by speaking out too much against a pope.</p><p>But Trump has taken no such caution, despite winning the 2024 election with support from a majority of Catholic voters.</p><p>The war in the Middle East has proved a pinch point, with Leo condemning the president&#x27;s threat to attack Iranian civilization as &quot;unacceptable.&quot;</p><p>Trump retaliated by calling the pontiff &quot;WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.&quot;</p><p>The public sparring marks a potential vulnerability for Republicans ahead of November&#x27;s midterms — even among more conservative Catholics.</p><p>Anthony Clark, a policy fellow with an anti-abortion group, told AFP outside a Catholic basilica in Washington that he sees Trump as a &quot;very good president&quot; with good intentions.</p><p>&quot;But I think that intentions aren&#x27;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,&quot; the 20-year-old added.</p><p>Popes, too, typically do not interfere in politics. However, the pontiff&#x27;s defiance has earned him respect from some.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m really glad that Pope Leo stood his ground when he said he&#x27;s not afraid of the administration,&quot; Carolina Herrera, 22, said in Washington.</p><p>&quot;You should not mess with the pope, no matter what, don&#x27;t mess with him.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/16/pope-leo-decries-world-ravaged-by-tyrants-2340">Pope Leo decries world &#x27;ravaged by tyrants&#x27;</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;Very harsh&#x27; <br/></strong></div><p>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.</p><p>But since entering politics he has embraced the Christian right.</p><p>Christian conservatives have hailed Trump for helping them achieve their priority -- the end of the nationwide right to abortion, thanks to justices Trump appointed to the Supreme Court.</p><p>At a church in Houston, in the Republican heartland state of Texas, some attending midday mass faulted both the president and the pope.</p><p>&quot;I don&#x27;t think either of them are acting the way they should be acting,&quot; said Ann, a white woman in her 70s who did not want to share her last name.</p><p>&quot;I think [the pope] has been very harsh on America,&quot; she added.</p><p>Meanwhile, Trump&#x27;s staunchest supporters rallied behind the president as they waited to see him address an event held by right-wing Christian group Turning Point USA at a Protestant megachurch in Arizona.</p><p>&quot;I think that the pope needs to stay in his lane and I disagree with his accusations,&quot; Brenda Gifford told AFP, adding, &quot;I don&#x27;t respect him anymore.&quot;</p><p>Armando Azpeitia, another Trump follower, had a more nuanced take on the papal tensions — even if she still sided with the president.</p><p>&quot;I do see how he can disagree with some of the things that Trump says, but overall I still think that [Trump] has the best interests of the American people in his heart,&quot; he said.</p><p>bjt/sla</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RePMg8t1mvY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>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.</p>

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.

US Catholics unsettled by Trump's feud with pope

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US Catholics unsettled by Trump's feud with pope

Agence France-Presse

Published April 18, 2026 09:30 AM PHT

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Pope Leo XIV

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