Trump may believe he is the messiah - but his attack on the pope could prove costly for JD Vance

Key Points:

• US President Donald Trump, who often portrays himself as a messianic figure, faced criticism from Pope Leo XIV, who condemned war and implicitly rebuked the Trump administration's religious framing of military actions.
• Trump responded by attacking the pope on social media and posting (then deleting) an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, which was widely mocked and alienated many Catholic supporters.
• Fox News host Sean Hannity joined Trump in criticizing the pope, while the pope maintained a dignified stance, emphasizing peace and not fearing to speak out on the Gospel's message.
• Many US Catholics disapprove of Trump’s war policies and his religious stunts, despite Catholics being a significant swing voter group that Trump narrowly won in 2024, complicating matters for his Catholic-identified vice president, JD Vance.
• Vance broke his silence by suggesting the Vatican should focus on morality and leave public policy to the US president, a stance criticized as tacit support for Trump amidst ongoing tensions between the administration and the Catholic Church.