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Catholic Vote · Political Risk · Religious Conflict · Social Media
President Donald Trump's recent social media attacks on Pope Leo XIV, including an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus, provoked widespread condemnation among Long Island Catholics, including some Republican supporters, leading to a reported drop in Trump's national Catholic approval rating to 48%.
Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV for being "weak on crime" and catering to "the radical left," also claiming the Pope's position was due to Trump's presidency. The AI image, which Trump later claimed was meant to show him as a Red Cross doctor, was removed after backlash.
Long Island Catholics, including Rep. Nick LaLota and voters like Frank Maresca and Mike Ferrara, expressed offense at Trump's disrespect for the Holy Father and the Jesus comparison, despite some otherwise supporting the president.
Rev. Francis Pizzarelli condemned the "ad hominem attack" and called for respectful discourse.
The controversy unfolds during a midterm congressional election year, with a poll conducted by Shaw & Co. Research and Beacon Research showing Trump's Catholic support dropping below 50% amid other issues like the Iran war and rising gasoline prices.
Pope Leo XIV, traveling to Africa, stated he has "no fear of the Trump administration" and does not view his role as political, criticizing the "delusion of omnipotence" fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. Trump, who won the Catholic vote in 2024 by 55% to 43% against Kamala Harris, maintains he has "nothing to apologize for."
Trump's Pope Attack Alienates Catholic Voters(current)
The pontiff has criticized the war in Iran and appealed to Catholic faithful to press their political representatives to end the conflict.
