Most Americans disapprove of an image President Donald Trump posted that appeared to depict himself as Jesus, while many more had a favorable view of Pope Leo XIV’s calls for peace amid the Iran war, a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found, as Washington and the Vatican continue to fracture over the conflict.
President Donald Trump has made repeated false claims that Pope Leo XIV wants Iran to have nuclear weapons. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
The poll found 87% of Americans disapproved of the post Trump made on Truth Social last month that appeared to depict himself as Jesus, which sparked criticism and allegations of blasphemy, even from some on the right, though Trump said he thought the picture depicted him as a doctor.
Eighty percent of Trump 2024 voters and 79% of Republicans surveyed had a negative reaction to Trump’s Jesus post, the poll found.
Sixty-nine percent of Americans disapproved of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praying for U.S. troops to inflict “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”
But Pope Leo’s call for Americans to contact their representatives and urge them to find a peaceful solution to the war in Iran earned a more positive reception, with 66% of poll respondents having a positive reaction.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is Catholic, is expected to travel to the Vatican on Thursday to meet with Leo, the first U.S. pope. Rubio suggested the meeting is not being held to thaw tensions with the Church, saying the trip is “not tied to anything other than the fact that it would be normal for us to engage, and other secretaries of State have done that in the past.” Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, said Tuesday that Rubio expects a “frank conversation about U.S. policy, to engage in dialogue,” with Leo, also saying he does not “accept the idea that somehow there’s some deep rift” between Washington and the Vatican.
Trump and Leo engaged in another apparent war of words this week, with Trump again suggesting Leo is “fine” with Iran having nuclear weapons, which Trump says is “endangering Catholics and a lot of people.” Leo told reporters Tuesday night the Church has “spoken out against all nuclear weapons” for years, adding, “Should anyone want to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, they should do so with the truth.”
As Leo has emerged as one of the most prominent global critics of the war in Iran, Trump has repeatedly attacked the pontiff, saying in a Truth Social post in April that Leo is “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” accusing him of “catering to the Radical Left.” Leo has made repeated calls for peace and has criticized global leaders for using religion as a justification for war. Leo said last month it is “not in my interest” to debate Trump, also saying his words have been interpreted as shots at the president when they are really broad calls for peace. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, warned Leo should “be careful” speaking on theological issues, prompting a rebuke from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which said when Leo makes anti-war statements, he is “not merely offering opinions on theology,” he is upholding longstanding Catholic teachings and is speaking as “supreme pastor of the universal Church.” A report in the Free Press claimed tensions between Washington and the Vatican date back to January, when Pentagon officials reportedly warned the Church to take its side on international affairs, raising the threat of the Avignon papacy, a period when France ousted the pope and controlled the Church. A Pentagon spokesperson denied the meeting was tense, calling the Free Press report “highly exaggerated and distorted.”
Pope Leo Says It Is ‘Not In My Interest’ To Debate Trump Amid Washington-Vatican Clash (Forbes)
Hegseth Responds To Pope Leo’s Iran War Criticism: US Has ‘Authority’ To Fight (Forbes)
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