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The clash with the Pope, will Trump lose Catholic votes and the role of Marco Rubio, says the director of the National Catholic Reporter

2026-05-06 22:23:32Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Pope Leo XIV and Donald Trump

The director of the American Catholic magazine National Catholic Reporter, Michael J. O'Loughlin, has commented on the recent clash between US President Donald Trump and Pope Leo, calling Trump's behavior "illogical", but emphasizing that he was surprised by the Pope's reaction.

According to him, Trump has chosen to attack the Pope in a manner similar to that he uses against any political leader who criticizes him, turning the issue into an internal political battle in the US. O'Loughlin points out that this approach could be harmful for Trump, as confronting the Vatican could negatively affect American Catholic voters, an important and politically divided group.

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, he said the tension occurred at a delicate diplomatic moment, just before the visit to Rome of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was expected to ease tensions between the White House and the Vatican. According to the analyst, Rubio will try to maintain dialogue, justifying US policies on international issues such as Iran, but always with respect for the Pope's role as spiritual leader.

O'Loughlin adds that Rubio has a favorable political position within the Republican Party, as he combines ties to the Trumpist wing and a more moderate Republican tradition. He also connects this dynamic to the upcoming 2028 presidential race, where Rubio is seen as a potential candidate, facing other figures such as Vice President JD Vance.

Question: The timing of Donald Trump's new attack on Pope Leo is striking: right on the eve of the arrival in Rome of his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who was supposed to ease Vatican-White House tensions. Has Trump lost his sense of proportion again? And how is the American Catholic world reacting to Trump's offensive?

Answer (Michael J. O'Loughlin): Perfect answer from the Pope, reminds the President of his mission as a religious leader, but Trump has chosen to treat the Pope like any other political leader who criticizes his decisions: he immediately goes on the attack, he is convinced that this brings him benefit in the domestic electoral plan, but here he makes another mistake and is a repeat offender: making enemies of Catholics is not a good idea. I also think he does it because the Pope is American and has a higher popularity than him domestically, he feels the spirit of competition, everything is very illogical, but this is the nature of Trump.

Question: When does Rubio's mission become difficult?

Answer: Of course the President has not done him a favor! But the sense of mission does not change. Trump is impulsive, but he does not want escalation. The mission of the Secretary of State is more important than Trump's repeated aggressive statements. The very fact that the meeting is taking place shows that both the Vatican and the White House want to improve relations.

Question: What line will Rubio choose?

Answer : Rubio is very loyal to Trump, he will try to reduce tension and explain, justify American decisions on Iran and international issues. He will do it with due respect, recognizing the change of roles between the mission of the Church and its spiritual leader and that of the American president who faces military and economic challenges. I think it will go well, they have American and Latin American culture in common, who knows, maybe they end up speaking Spanish.

Question: Is there also an aspect of domestic politics?

Answer: Yes, Rubio is deeply Catholic and represents the vote of a large Latin American Catholic community. He will also show closeness to the Pope in view of the 2028 presidential elections. He has emerged as one of the main Republican candidates, the most credible alternative to JD Vance, the vice president. Rubio is ahead of Vance because he can follow a dual political line: he is part of the Trumpist world but also of a more traditional Republican coalition. The vice president has only emerged through MAGA and Trumpism

Question: Were you surprised that Pope Leo chose to respond to Trump?

Answer: Yes, I must say it surprised me. The approach of his papacy so far has been more cautious, institutional. Pope Francis had more direct reactions compared to Pope Leo's style.

Question: How do you explain the difference?

Answer: More than explaining it, I see it as indicative of a new style that is capable of entering, when necessary, into direct confrontations that were not expected. Initially in America, the role of debating sensitive topics seemed to belong to archbishops and local bishops. Now the Pope has made it clear that he too intends to be a direct actor in American political dialogue when provoked. And that is an important thing.

Question: What political difference do you see between Catholics and Evangelicals?

Answer: Evangelical Christians are more aligned with Trumpism. They are part of a base of about 40% who support the president in every way. Catholics are different. For 80 million Catholics, religion is more important. Catholics are generally more inclined towards social justice, want to protect immigrants, and swing between Democrats and Republicans. John Kennedy, the first Catholic president, was a Democrat.

Question : Does this clash with the Pope hurt or help Trump in the election?

Answer: Of course, the clash with the Pope has hurt him and continues to hurt him. But I have come to one conclusion: since his tough and direct behavior has often helped him in the past, and since he cannot run again in 2028, he feels freer to express his deeper and more aggressive personality. Today, Trump is seeking to make history for himself, thinking more about his presidential legacy than about the Republican vote. This is seen not only in the war against Iran, but also in symbolic changes such as in the White House or the Kennedy Center, and in other activities related to the 250th anniversary of the United States

Question: For the 250th anniversary, there was also an invitation for the Pope to come to celebrate, but he did not accept. Why?

Answer : I think Pope Leo wanted to stay out of electoral controversy, especially because of his American origin. It has never happened that the Vatican plans a papal visit before an election.


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