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In a blistering segment on CNN’s “The Lead,” anchor Jake Tapper criticized former President Donald Trump for his claim of being “all about the gospel” amid an escalating one-sided feud with Pope Leo XIV.
The controversy began earlier this week when Trump posted, then deleted, an image depicting himself as Jesus Christ. When questioned about the post, Trump claimed he believed it carried medical connotations rather than messianic ones—an explanation many of his supporters found unconvincing.
The tension between Trump and the Vatican intensified after the former president launched a series of attacks against Pope Leo XIV, prompting reporters to question Trump during a Thursday press gaggle. When pressed about criticism from a group of bishops who stated the Pope was “preaching the gospel” rather than merely expressing opinions on war, Trump defended his position while making the remarkable claim about his religious devotion.
“I want him to preach the gospel. I’m all about the gospel,” Trump told reporters. “But I also know that you cannot let a certain country, which is a very mean-spirited country, have a nuclear weapon. If they did, they would use it and I think they’d use it quickly and they would kill many millions of people.”
Trump added, “The Pope could disagree with me on that, but certainly we’re allowed to have that. I’m all about the gospel. I’m about it as much as anybody can be.”
Tapper, visibly skeptical during his broadcast, raised his eyebrows after playing the clip and remarked, “Putting aside the fact check on whether or not he’s about the gospel as much as anybody can be, which I think that would—anyway, moving on from that, what do you—what did you make of that response?”
CNN contributor Jamie Gangel quickly pointed out factual inaccuracies in Trump’s characterization of the Pope’s position. “Fact check, first of all, the Pope is not talking about being in favor of nuclear weapons. He is talking about peace and trying to come to terms through diplomatic means. So this is not about his support of Iran having a nuclear weapon.”
Gangel suggested Trump might be backpedaling slightly in response to criticism about engaging in a public dispute with the Pope. “Why is he getting into a fight with the Pope?” she questioned, noting a recent NBC poll showing the Pope’s approval ratings exceed Trump’s by a 50-point margin. “Maybe he’s jealous about that, but the reality is he did say today, ‘I’m not fighting with the Pope. The Pope can say what he wants.'”
“That’s a little bit different from, you know, accusing him and attacking him of being weak on crime,” Gangel concluded.
The religious controversy comes at a challenging time for Trump’s campaign messaging. Religious voters represent a significant portion of his political base, and conflicts with major religious figures could potentially erode support among key constituencies.
Political analysts note that Trump’s relationship with religious leaders has been complex throughout his political career. While he has maintained strong support among certain evangelical Christian groups, his personal religious expressions have sometimes raised eyebrows among theological scholars and church leaders.
The ongoing dispute with Pope Leo XIV represents an unusual diplomatic challenge, pitting the former president against one of the world’s most influential religious leaders at a time when global tensions remain high over nuclear proliferation concerns and international conflicts.
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7 Comments
This clash between Trump and the Vatican is a fascinating intersection of religion, politics, and global security. I’ll be following the coverage closely to see how it unfolds.
While I understand Trump’s concerns about nuclear proliferation, his claims of being ‘all about the gospel’ ring hollow given his history of divisive, un-Christian behavior. This feud with the Vatican is just the latest example.
Well said. Trump’s religious rhetoric seems to be more about political posturing than genuine faith. It’s concerning to see him try to co-opt Christian language for his own agenda.
Trump’s messianic self-depiction is quite bizarre and concerning. Claiming to be ‘all about the gospel’ while making reckless foreign policy statements doesn’t seem very consistent with Christian values.
I agree, the contrast between his religious rhetoric and his actions is quite striking. It’s concerning to see this level of delusion and disconnect from reality.
I’m curious to hear more about the specific bishops’ criticism of the Pope’s stance on the nuclear threat. It’s a complex geopolitical issue, so I’m interested in understanding their perspective.
Interesting to see Trump’s religious claims being scrutinized. His associations with the gospel seem rather dubious given his past conduct. It’ll be worth following how this feud with the Vatican plays out.