By: Julia Valencia 

Opinion Editor 

Since Pope Leo XIV’s election in May of 2025, he has managed to remain neutral in his comments on the Trump administration, opting to make general statements advocating for the environment, migrants, and those dealing with financial difficulties rather than making direct statements condemning the actions of the United States government. On Apr. 10, Leo wrote that “God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.” Many presumed that his comment was alluding to the war between the U.S. and Iran. 

On Apr. 12, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself to Truth Social, which depicted him as a Jesus-like figure healing a man. The Christian right almost immediately called out the president, with people like Riley Gaines, a conservative activist, questioning Trump’s post, asking,“Does he actually like this?…A little humility would serve him well…God shall not be mocked.” Trump, in an uncharacteristic act, took down the image shortly after it was posted, commenting that he thought the image was of him as a doctor, not as Jesus. The same day Trump removed the image, Gaines revoked her previous comment, saying that “I love the President and I’m so grateful he’s in the Oval Office.”

On Apr. 13, just a day after President Trump called Pope Leo “WEAK on crime and terrible for Foreign Policy” on Truth Social, the pope spoke to reporters, saying that “I have no fear, neither of the Trump administration, nor of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel. And that’s what I believe I am called here to do.” When asked directly about Trump’s post, Leo responded, saying “It’s ironic – the name of the site itself. Say no more.”

Leo garnered significant support from conservative Catholics across the U.S., many of whom were displeased with his liberal predecessor, Pope Francis, whose actions they called ineffective and aggressive. Leo, who identifies as non-partisan and takes a centrist stance, has an 84% favorability rating among American Catholics, according to the Pew Research Center, many of whom quickly came to his defense after Trump’s verbal attack. Rudy Gutiérrez, a three-time Trump voter and member of the Catholic Church, said that the “attack on the pope for speaking out against war in Iran amid the threat of escalating violence went too far…As a Catholic, I take offense to that, and I am Republican.”  

Catholic Vice President, JD Vance, spoke to a conservative audience at the University of Georgia, criticizing Leo’s open denunciation of the war. He commented, “Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis? I certainly think the answer is yes.” Leo told reporters that “‘the things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone, and the message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’” Though Leo spoke out against the war, this exchange cements his attempt at positioning himself as a politically neutral but morally vocal leader. 

(Sources: CBS, PBS, Pew Research Center, NY Times, X)