Conservative bishop demands Trump apologize after attack on Pope Leo XIV

Donald Trump’s attack on Pope Leo XIV has triggered one of the sharpest public rebukes yet from Christian conservatives who have usually defended him, with a Trump appointee now saying the president “owes the Pope an apology.”

Robert Barron, who serves on Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, called the president’s comments “entirely inappropriate and disrespectful” after Trump used Truth Social on Monday to denounce the first American pope as “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.” Trump added that he did not want a pope who criticized the president and told Leo to focus on being a “Great Pope, not a Politician.”

The confrontation escalated when Trump posted an illustration showing himself as a Christ-like figure healing a sick man. The image, which appeared to be AI-generated or AI-altered, showed Trump in a white robe with a glowing orb, his hand on a prone man’s head, and symbols including the American flag, eagles, fireworks, a fighter jet and the Statue of Liberty. It was posted on Orthodox Easter, exactly one week after Easter Sunday, and was deleted by Monday morning. Trump had not apologized by Monday morning, and the White House did not immediately respond.

The backlash did not come only from Trump’s usual political opponents. Conservative figures including Riley Gaines, Michael Knowles, Brilyn Hollyhand, Cam Higby, Ari Fleischer, Don Bacon and Marjorie Taylor Greene all criticized the image, calling it blasphemous, foolish, embarrassing or, in Greene’s words, “gross blasphemy.” That reaction matters because it came from inside the coalition that has repeatedly absorbed Trump’s provocations as a political cost of doing business.

Catholic leaders also pushed back. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he was “disheartened” by Trump’s remarks and argued that “Pope Leo is not his rival” and is “the Vicar of Christ.” The Vatican dispute has been sharpened by Leo’s repeated criticism of the war in Iran. Last week, the pope called Trump’s threats to strike Iranian civilian infrastructure “truly unacceptable,” and Leo has said he has “no fear” of the Trump administration and “no intention of having a debate” with Trump.

The episode carries political risk for Trump because Catholic voters were a central part of his 2024 coalition, backing him 56% to 42%. Barron’s public demand for an apology is notable not just for its substance, but for its source: a member of Trump’s own religious advisory structure. Whether that marks a lasting limit on religious-right loyalty or another momentary protest will be measured by how long the criticism lasts once the news cycle moves on.