PODCAST:
April 14, 2026 ~ Political strategist Jason Roe, principal of Roe Strategic, joins Kevin Dietz to break down the growing tensions between President Trump and Pope Leo. Roe analyzes the political implications, international messaging, and how this unusual clash could resonate with voters at home and abroad.
VATICAN CITY ~ President Donald Trump is receiving pushback, including those in his Christian base of support, after he posted an AI-generated photo of himself that portrayed him as Jesus.
Trump shared the bizarre photo Sunday amid a public spat with Pope Leo XIV, drawing accusations of blasphemy from prominent conservative figures like news commentator Cam Higby, Christian writer Megan Basham, and talk show host Brilyn Hollyhand. He later deleted it on Monday afternoon.
The rift between the U.S. government and Vatican City grew wider after Trump made incendiary remarks against Pope Leo.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump posted Sunday on Truth Social. He later wrote, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do.”
On Monday, Pope Leo told reporters that, “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for.’’
The Vatican has been at odds with the U.S.’s aggressive foreign policy as of late, with the Pope criticizing the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the U.S.-Israeli joint bombing of Iran.
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