Trump Bible-Thumper Assassination Fears Explode Amid Clash With Pope

Trump, however, has continued to criticize the pope in increasingly personal terms. He described Leo as “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy” and rejected calls to moderate his tone.

The president also rejected criticism of his AI Christ statue, claiming it had been misinterpreted and was intended to show him as a healer rather than a religious figure.

He said: “I posted it and I thought it was me as a doctor and it had to do with the Red Cross. It should be me as a doctor, making people better. And I make people better too. I make people much better.”

The controversy has deeply unsettled parts of Trump’s conservative Christian base, despite historically being a cornerstone of his political support. Religious commentators and clerics have also rejected the images and rhetoric, with some describing them as offensive and inappropriate.

Analysts said the situation is unusual in its intensity, signaling a rare public rift between a sitting U.S. president and the head of the Catholic Church. The feud has also attracted international attention, with political and religious figures playing a role on both sides.

Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic convert, defended Trump’s position and suggested that disagreements between political and religious leaders were not uncommon. But the unholy row brewing over Trump’s Messiah equation continues to fuel concern among observers about its broader implications.

The dispute comes as Pope Leo continues to call for an end to the conflict in Iran, warning of what he has described as a “delusion of omnipotence” fueling global tensions, while Trump takes a tough stance on foreign policy and national security.