Pope Leos standing among Republican Catholics has slipped noticeably in the wake of his public clash with President Donald Trump earlier this year.
According to Pew Research Center polling reported by [publisher], the Chicago-born pontiff remains broadly popular nationwide, yet his dispute with the President over the Iran War and other matters has clearly resonated with Catholics on the right. The two leaders were at odds over the Iran War and other issues as Trump issued frequent blistering statements slamming Pope Leo, a feud that has left a mark on perceptions within the GOP-leaning faithful.
While 72 percent of Republicans in the church approve of the pope, that figure has fallen sharply from 84 percent this past August, suggesting conservative Catholics are increasingly wary of a pontiff perceived as willing to challenge a President they strongly support. By contrast, the decline among Democrat Catholics has been modest, with 84 percent approve, down from 89 percent in August of 2025, underscoring a partisan divide in how the popes interventions are received.
In the same survey, 39 percent of Republican Catholics said Pope Leo has been too critical of Trump, as opposed to 33 percent who say the President has criticized the pontiff too much, reflecting a base that expects deference rather than confrontation toward the President. Among Democrats, the pattern flips dramatically, as 70 percent of Democrats say Trump has been too negative about the pope, versus just three percent who say the opposite, revealing how the left is eager to cast Trump as the aggressor.
Democrats (51 percent) slightly outnumber Republicans (45 percent) among American Catholics who responded to the survey, a balance that helps explain why Pope Leos overall numbers remain strong despite conservative misgivings. With Pope Leo's approval ratingat 78 percent when all American Catholics' views are factored in, with just 12 percent disapproving, the data suggest that while the pontiffs foray into contentious political territory may play well with Democrats, it risks alienating the very traditional, pro-Trump Catholics who have long anchored the Churchs moral and cultural influence in American public life.
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