Trump's Attacks on Pope Leo Create Fresh Midterm Headaches for G.O.P.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/politics/trump-attacks-pope-midterms.html

Trump’s Attacks on Pope Leo Create Fresh Midterm Headaches for G.O.P.
Republicans are counting on the votes of Catholics to maintain control of Congress.
By Lisa Lerer and Reid J. Epstein
April 14, 2026

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Mr. Trump’s decision to pick a fight with Leo, the first American pontiff, is the latest in a series of episodes this spring that have complicated efforts by Republicans to make the case that they are tackling what voters say is their central concern this year: the rising cost of living.

Asked if he would apologize to the pope, the president said: “There’s nothing to apologize for. He’s wrong.”

Mr. Trump spent years tangling with the previous pope, Francis, over his immigration policies. Those public dust-ups had little impact on his support among white Catholics, with majorities backing Mr. Trump in all three of his presidential races.

But the effects of his attacks on Leo may be more long-lasting, said Denise Murphy McGraw, the national co-chair of Catholics Vote Common Good, a nonprofit group that opposed Mr. Trump’s candidacy in 2024.

An NBC poll conducted last month found that Leo was far more popular than Mr. Trump.

“This is our American pope,” Ms. McGraw said. “This isn’t some guy from Italy or South America or Poland. Everyone is proud.”

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