The relationship between the White House and the Vatican is tense again, although in a different context than a decade ago. The new pope, Leo XIV, does not share the style or priorities of his predecessor, but that It does not mean that he will be a comfortable ally for Donald Trump. In fact, several analysts agree that a direct confrontation with the pontiff could be politically expensive for the American president.
During his first coming to power, Trump starred in constant clashes with Pope Francisa figure who marked his pontificate with a more open approach to issues such as immigration or climate change.
That pulse was not only media: It also showed a growing fracture between the Vatican and an important part of Catholicism. conservative in the United States, who saw in Trump a defender against what they considered a progressive drift of the Church.
Today the scenario has changed, but not necessarily in favor of the president. Leo XIV, elected less than a year ago, represents a different profile. Without breaking with some basic principles of the social doctrine of the Church, has opted for a more sober tone, less confrontational and more focused on issues that generate internal consensus.
However, his figure introduces a new element that complicates things for Trump: he is American and knows the country’s political and cultural terrain well.
A dad who plays at home
The fact that Leo XIV being the first pope born in the United States is not a minor detail. Unlike Francis, who observed American politics from the outside, the current pontiff understands the codes, tensions and actors of the country. He has lived that reality, has personal ties and knows how they are articulated both the Republican and Democratic Parties.
This knowledge allows you to move with greater precision in a field where religion and politics are deeply intertwined. And, according to several experts, it also gives him an advantage over Trump in the event of a conflict. He is not a leader who can be easily discredited as alien or disconnected from American reality.
The recent controversy on social networks illustrates this new dynamic well. After some statements by the Pope against the escalation of war in Iran, Trump reacted harshly. But, unlike what happened in the past, the response did not generate an automatic closing of ranks among conservative Catholics. Quite the opposite.
A less aligned conservative base
One of the most significant changes It is the support that Leo XIV has been consolidating among conservative sectors of the Church in the United States. At the beginning of his pontificate, there were doubts about whether he would follow Francis’ line. However, his first gestures dispelled some of those suspicions.
His decision to recover certain traditions, his more reserved style and his lesser media prominence on politically divisive issues have contributed to improving his image among faithful who were previously critical of Rome. Even within circles close to Trump himself, voices have emerged that question the tone used by the president towards the pontiff.
Testimonies collected in different parishes in the country reflect this discomfort. Some regular Trump voters They admit to feeling uncomfortable with direct attacks on the Pope, especially when these occur in sensitive issues such as war or peace. For many, the papal figure continues to have a moral weight that transcends partisan politics.
A leadership that is more difficult to pigeonhole
Part of the difficulty for Trump is that Leo XIV does not fit easily into the usual categories of American political debate. Although it maintains clear positions in defense of the most vulnerable, it avoids an emphatic tone and statements that could be interpreted as aligned with a specific ideological bloc. This more contained style, far from diminishing its influence, seems to reinforce it.
His interventions, less frequent but more thoughtful, They are more difficult to discredit as simple political opinions. Instead of fueling polarization, they tend to place themselves on a moral plane that makes those who try to reduce the debate to partisan terms uncomfortable.
Furthermore, the pope has focused on issues such as artificial intelligence, an area that, for now, generates fewer divisions within the Church. These types of priorities contribute to building an image of leadership focused on global challenges, far from everyday political noise.
A pulse with risks
With this panorama, the idea of opening a front with the Vatican It doesn’t seem like a particularly profitable strategy for Trump.. Unlike what happened with Francisco, he now does not have in front of him a figure easily associated with a progressive agenda that mobilizes his base.
On the contrary, Leo XIV has a very high level of support among American Catholics, regardless of their political affinity. This reduces the president’s room for maneuver and increases the risk that any attack will be perceived as unjustified or excessive.
Ultimately, the clash between the two highlights a fundamental issue: the papacy does not function as just another political actor. Although their messages have public implications, His authority is based on a different, spiritual and moral dimension. And there, even in a country as polarized as the United States, the rules of the game do not always favor those who try to turn it into another political adversary.
