Coverage dated April 16, 2026 to April 20, 2026

Even Catholic Trump supporters feel conflicted over the president’s tiff with the pope

Headline from Local News 8, on the newest of 2 developments

By Zoe Sottile, Gloria Pazmino, CNN New York (CNN) — A peace- and faith-focused sermon delivered during Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City did little to clear the minds of some parishioners who walked out of church saying they remained distraught over the extraordinary conflict …

Local News 8's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Tensions between President Trump and Pope Leo put American Catholics in awkward spot

    Headline from NPR ·

  2. Newest

    Even Catholic Trump supporters feel conflicted over the president’s tiff with the pope

    Headline from Local News 8 ·

2 reports not tied to one development ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

15 articles, oldest first.

  1. New York Post

    A clash between the pope and Trump was inevitable — but let us not choose between the heart and the head (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    From the moment that Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV last year, a clash between Rome and Washington was inevitable.

  2. CBS News

    How the dispute between Trump and Pope Leo escalated (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    President Trump has lobbed insults at Pope Leo XIV in response to his criticisms of the war in Iran, marking an unusually pronounced rupture between the leaders of the world's most powerful country and the world's largest Christian denomination.

  3. The Guardian

    ‘It’s kind of a tough situation’: US Catholics torn in feud between president and the pope (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV polarizing the diverse community as faith and politics come to a head

  4. Rolling Stone

    The Catholics in Trump's Inner Circle Have Nowhere to Hide (opens Rolling Stone)

    Published

    Rolling Stone's feed description

    Donald Trump's attacks on Pope Leo XIV are making J.D. Vance and Catholics choose between their religion and their fealty to the president.

  5. Deutsche Welle

  6. The Daily Signal

    Pope Leo Dismisses Media Narrative of Rift With Trump (opens The Daily Signal)

    Published

    The Daily Signal's feed description

    Pope Leo is downplaying any rift with President Donald Trump, dismissing "certain narratives" being pushed by the media.

  7. NPR

    Tensions between President Trump and Pope Leo put American Catholics in awkward spot (opens NPR)

    Published

    NPR's feed description

    The divide between the White House and the Vatican is widening after President Trump sharply criticized Pope Leo and the leader of the Catholic Church said he doesn't fear Trump.

  8. The Guardian

    Republican senator criticizes Trump’s ‘holy war’ with Pope Leo (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump, says president’s feud with the pope is a ‘distraction’

  9. CNN

    Pope Leo’s target is bigger than Trump. He’s rebuking the ‘MAGA Jesus’ (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    If you think the clash between Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump is just a war of words that will pass when the news cycle moves on, you are most likely mistaken.

  10. Townhall

    Trump Takes on the Pope, and the Pope Gets Trumped (opens Townhall)

    Published

    Townhall's feed description

    Analysis of Trump’s clash with Pope Leo XIV over faith, politics, and global issues in 2026.

  11. Local News 8

    Even Catholic Trump supporters feel conflicted over the president’s tiff with the pope (opens Local News 8)

    Published

    Local News 8's feed description

    By Zoe Sottile, Gloria Pazmino, CNN New York (CNN) — A peace- and faith-focused sermon delivered during Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City did little to clear the minds of some parishioners who walked out of church saying they remained distraught over the extraordinary conflict …

  12. Religion News

    For Catholic voters, Trump’s record may be catching up with him (opens Religion News)

    Published

    Religion News's feed description

    (RNS) — Catholic disillusionment with Trump did not start with his fight with Pope Leo. It has been growing since he took office.

  13. Hot Air

    A Clash Between the Pope and Trump Was Inevitable (opens Hot Air)

    Published

    Hot Air's feed description

    The election of the first American pope sparks political clashes with Trump over immigration and policies.

  14. Religion News

    Why the pope’s authority is confounding and maddening for Trump (opens Religion News)

    Published

    Religion News's feed description

    (RNS) — Most past disagreements between popes and presidents have happened during times of high suspicion regarding the Catholic Church. Each case is different from what we are seeing today.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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