US President Donald Trump, who, days into the Iran war, had invited pastors and priests for blessings, has now opened a second front alongside the Middle East. Trump has attacked Pope Leo XIV even as he projected himself as Jesus Christ. The interesting question here is: why is Trump at loggerheads with the Pope, the spiritual leader of over half of the Christians of the world?

Amid his clash with Pope Leo XIV, Trump on Monday shared an image on social media portraying himself as a Christ-like figure. In the AI-generated image, Trump appeared draped in robes, surrounded by divine light, and seemingly “healing” a man, flanked by figures resembling angels or soldiers. Though he retreated after a massive backlash and deleted the post, Trump’s portrayal of himself as a “healer” like Jesus comes amid his fight with the Pope, the leader of Catholic Christians.

Of late, there’s a sharp escalation in messaging between the White House and the Vatican, which reports say is one of the most unusual public confrontations between a sitting US President and the leader of the Catholic Church in recent history. The feud has unfolded largely in public view. Trump, reacting to the Pope’s criticism of the US role in the Iran war and Washington DC’s foreign policy, described Pope Leo as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”.

The Pope, who had earlier refrained from naming Trump, had warned against what he called the “delusion of omnipotence” which fuelled wars. He also criticised the use of religion to justify war. Trump and his aides had used religious symbolism amid the attacks on Iran, a Shia Muslim country.

As the rhetoric intensified, Pope Leo made his position clearer, saying that he was “not afraid” and would continue to speak out for peace and against violence. The Vatican’s response, while measured in tone, carried a clear rebuke of leaders invoking divine authority for military advances. That was a clear message to Trump.

The recent public confrontation between the Vatican and Washington DC comes months after reports suggested that Pentagon officials had warned the Pope’s envoy that they should align with Washington’s strategic positions. While Trump’s deputy, JD Vance, refuted the claims, it revealed the discomfort within the American establishment over the Vatican’s stance on conflicts globally.

So, why is Trump taking on the Pope, the spiritual leader of Catholics worldwide and the head of Vatican City, the world’s smallest sovereign state?

US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated photo of himself as a Jesus-like figure on Sunday. It drew widespread criticism from many religious conservatives across the world, following which he removed the post on Monday. (Image: X)

WHY IS TRUMP TARGETTING THE POPE?

At the heart of the clash lies an ideological divide between the personalities and policies of the Pope and President Trump.

Pope Leo XIV has consistently emphasised peace, humanitarian concerns and opposition to war, particularly in the context of the Iran war. In his interventions he has focused on restraint, dialogue and the moral costs of escalation in armed conflicts.

Trump’s approach has been in sharp contrast to that of the Pope. He has held that the Iran war is a show of strength, deterrence and is key to national security. Trump, on the other hand, has portrayed the Pope’s criticism as weakness.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social late on Sunday.

The Pope, who declined to join the celebrations of the US’ 250-year anniversary in the White House over threats to the papacy, responded to Trump’s statement attacking him.

Pope Leo, the first Pope of the US, said that he would keep raising his voice against war, adding that the Christian message was being “abused”.

“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems,” Leo told news agency Reuters aboard a papal flight to Africa, where he is embarked on a 10-day tour to four African countries.

“Too many people are suffering in the world today,” he said. “Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”

Trump, who was raised in his Scottish-born mother’s Presbyterian faith (Protestant), said in 2020 that he no longer identified with the Protestant Church. He said he considered himself a nondenominational Christian. It refers to a Christian who does not formally belong to any specific denomination.

Christian messaging has been a part of Trump’s campaign and presidency.

WHAT TRUMP GAINS FROM ATTACKING POPE

So, the Pope’s calls for peace and caution, especially in the middle of the Iran war, ran directly against what Trump would desire. Targeting him, therefore, serves multiple purposes.

Trump, by attacking the Pope, is in all likelihood trying to undercut a powerful critic who is also the leader of Catholic Christians, approximately 50% of the community. Using the attacks, Trump is also reinforcing his own image as a leader who refuses to be restrained.

Elise Ann Allen, the Rome-based correspondent for Catholic media outlet Crux, told CNN that Trump’s comments were a sign he was “feeling threatened that Leo was emerging as a stronger figure on the international scene”.

“I think what is happening is Donald Trump is starting to feel the heat… [He] has to be careful, because he has to remember that it’s the moderate Catholics who got him elected in both elections,” Ann Allen told CNN.

Massimo Faggioli, an expert on the papacy, speaking to news agency Reuters, compared Trump’s comments to the leaders of Germany and Italy during World War II.

“Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the pope so directly and publicly,” Faggioli told the news agency.

Disagreements between Washington and the Vatican might not be new. But it wouldn’t have been this public, this personal, and this aggressive. Trump’s decision to share the AI-generated image of himself as a Christ-like figure in the middle of the feud with the Pope, is unprecedented in tone and tenor.

– Ends

Published By:

Sushim Mukul

Published On:

Apr 14, 2026 13:08 IST

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