President Donald Trump’s growing public feud with Pope Leo XIV has created a sharp political divide, with new polling showing Republican voters overwhelmingly backing Trump while the pope holds stronger support nationwide.
According to a Daily Mail/JL Partners poll of 1,011 registered voters conducted April 14-15, 67% of Republicans said they side with Trump in the dispute with Pope Leo. Among Trump’s own voters, loyalty remained even stronger, with 81% continuing to approve of the president.
The national picture was less favorable for Trump.
The survey found 41% of Americans sided with the pope, while 30% said they supported Trump in the clash. That leaves the pope with an 11-point advantage among the general electorate and suggests Trump’s strongest backing is concentrated within his political base.
Democrats broke heavily toward Pope Leo.
According to the poll, 67% of Democrats said they sided with the pope, while only 6% backed Trump. The numbers highlight how quickly a religious dispute has become another partisan fight in modern American politics.
The conflict escalated after Pope Leo criticized threats made during the recent Iran crisis and condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure. While he did not always mention Trump directly, his comments were widely seen as aimed at the administration’s rhetoric and military posture.
Trump responded by attacking the pope on Truth Social.
He accused Leo of being “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy,” saying he did not want a pope criticizing the president for carrying out policies he was elected to implement.
The dispute then intensified when Trump posted an AI-generated image showing himself in white robes with glowing hands healing a patient. Many viewers interpreted the image as comparing himself to Jesus Christ.
Trump later deleted the post and denied that interpretation.
He said the image was intended to portray him as a doctor helping people, not as Jesus. That explanation failed to stop criticism from religious leaders, Catholics, independents, and some conservative voters.
The poll found 49% of Americans considered the image “deeply offensive.” Only a small minority viewed it positively or as harmless humor.
Even Trump supporters rejected comparisons between the president and Jesus.
A total of 85% of Americans said Trump is not comparable to Jesus, including 83% of Trump’s own 2024 voters. That result suggests many supporters remain loyal politically while drawing a clear line on religious symbolism.
The survey also asked voters whether religious leaders should criticize politicians, according to the Daily Mail.
49% percent said religious leaders should avoid directly criticizing political figures. Another 39% said they have a right or duty to speak out on moral and political issues.
That divide reflects a broader cultural struggle over faith and politics in the United States.
For Trump, the numbers show his coalition remains solid even during controversy. For Pope Leo, the feud has rapidly increased his visibility in American political debates.
What began as criticism over Iran and one viral image has turned into a larger fight over religion, political authority, and the limits of symbolic messaging. With both men refusing to retreat, the dispute could continue shaping headlines well beyond this week.
