Pope Leo XIV entered the pontificate with a more restrained, less confrontational style than his predecessor. Leo’s open stance toward the LGBTQ+ community, support for migrants, and critique of unbridled capitalism have led to strong conservative opposition both within the Church and beyond.

After a cautious foray into American politics, Leo now faces similar criticism from conservative circles in the United States and MAGA supporters who, after his election, hoped that the pope would lead the Church in a direction different from Francis.

Style and Political Shifts: US Reaction

The first American pope was asked on Tuesday about Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago’s plans to award Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a member of the Senate leadership from the Democratic Party. Cardinal Blase Cupich, an ally of the pope, planned to present Durbin with a “Lifetime Award for Support of Migrants,” but the move drew mixed responses due to Durbin’s support for abortion rights. Durbin declined the honor.

“Forty years of service in the U.S. Senate.”

– Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois

More than ten U.S. bishops publicly criticized the award. Two of them – Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Bishop Thomas Paprocki – had previously been appointed by a religious-lib Liberal Council with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump and had disagreements with Pope Francis’s decisions.

Rather than denouncing the award, Leo said it was important to consider “forty years of service in the U.S. Senate.” The pope stressed that this is “not really about life” – an opposition to abortion combined with support for the death penalty and the question of whether it is truly “about life” to support “inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States.”

“This is really not about life” – as well as criticizing abortions and supporting the death penalty, while questioning whether there is “about life” supporting “inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States.”

– Pope Leo XIV

The furious reactions did not lag. One conservative Catholic called the stance “disappointing” and “largely insignificant,” while far-right commentator Matt Walsh called it “a terrible response from Pope Leo,” and Jack Posobiec, a Trump supporter, wrote on X simply: “Some popes are blessings. Some popes are penance”; Joseph Strickland, the retired Bishop Tabler, stated that Leo’s remarks caused “great confusion.”

“Some popes are blessings. Some popes are penance.”

– Jack Posobiec

“These remarks are a disappointment and a significant part of misunderstanding.”

– Joseph Strickland

The Climate Conference and New Positions

The next day Leo drew even more attention from the MAGA opposition during his participation in a climate conference, where he urged action to protect the planet and blessed some ice. One context of this moment was the pope’s private meeting with public LGBTQ+ activist James Martin and the highlighting of tangible steps to reduce the threat of gun violence, criticism of high CEO salaries, and a mention of Elon Musk.

Is the Chicago-based Bethlehem See seeking to weigh its pontificate as a counterweight to the Trump administration? Alongside assessments of abortion and immigration, the pope described Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth’s address to the generals as “troubling.” The pope did not close the door to dialogue: “He is open to help and dialogue with him. He wants to be a conversational partner” – said Eliz Anne Allen.

“He is open to help and dialogue with him. He wants to be a conversational partner.”

– Eliz Anne Allen

“There exists a consistent ethic of life.”

– Eliz Anne Allen

“Yes, abortion is wrong, but to be ‘pro-life’ means respecting human dignity in all its forms, including the death penalty or immigrants.”

– Eliz Anne Allen

“He understands that the term ‘pro-life’ is often reduced to abortion.”

– Eliz Anne Allen

“Conservative Catholics hoped that Pope Francis’s reforms would pave the way for him to pass into the grave, and that the universal Church would receive his pontificate the same way they did – as something like the passing of a storm of bad weather that has finally passed.”

– Michael Sean Winters, Catholic commentator

Despite the critical responses, Leo continues to present himself as a worldly leader who avoids cultural wars and seeks to maintain a balance between faith and the realities of politics. He is not afraid to speak out against extremes and emphasizes that the Church should support migrants and uphold the dignity of every person, regardless of their origin or faith.

Thus, at present Pope Leo XIV continues his efforts to maintain dialogue and soften the sharpness of political divisions. He is trying to preserve the “consistent ethic of life” and at the same time be a voice for those who often find themselves outside traditional Catholic boundaries. Whether he can establish a new balance between religion and politics can only be assessed over time by the results of his actions and rhetoric in the coming months.