Pope Leo XIV remains broadly popular with American Catholics, but a new poll shows a clear warning sign for the first American-born pontiff: his support among Republican
Catholics has dropped sharply after months of tension with President Donald Trump over war, immigration, and the role of religion in politics.
The decline does not mean Catholic Republicans have turned against Leo entirely. Most still view him favorably.
But the shift is significant because it shows how deeply partisan politics can shape even attitudes toward the pope, a figure traditionally seen by Catholics as a spiritual leader above ordinary political fights.
According to Pew Research Center polling conducted from May 26 to June 1, 2026, 72% of Republican and Republican-leaning Catholics now hold a favorable view of Pope Leo.
That is down from 84% in August 2025. Among Democratic and Democratic-leaning Catholics, Leo’s favorability also slipped, but by a smaller margin, from 89% to 84%.
The larger Republican drop comes after a tense public clash between Leo and Trump.
The two have been at odds over the war involving Iran, Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda, and the pope’s repeated calls for peace, diplomacy, and human dignity.
A Pope Still Popular, But More Politically Exposed
Overall,Pope Leo remains in a strong position with U.S. Catholics. Pew found that 78% of American Catholics view him favorably, 12% unfavorably, and 9% say they have never heard of him.
Those numbers show Leo is far from unpopular. In fact, his overall standing is close to the level of support that Pope Francis had among U.S. Catholics near the end of his pontificate. But the partisan gap is becoming harder to ignore.
Catholic Democrats are now more likely than Catholic Republicans to view Leo favorably.
That does not necessarily mean the pope has become a partisan figure by choice. It does suggest that his public positions are being filtered through America’s political divide.
When a pope criticizes war, defends migrants, or warns against cruelty, many Catholics hear familiar church teaching.
But in the current U.S. climate, those same messages can sound political to voters who strongly support Trump’s agenda.
Trump’s Criticism Has Become Part of the Story
The poll also found that many Catholics believe Trump has gone too far in his criticism of Pope Leo. About 51% of U.S. Catholics said Trump has been too critical of the pope. Only 4% said Trump has not been critical enough, while 14% said he has struck the right balance.
The partisan split is sharp. Among Democratic Catholics, 70% said Trump has been too critical of Leo.
Among Republican Catholics, that number fell to 32%. At the same time, 39% of Republican Catholics said Leo has been too critical of the Trump administration.
That finding may be the most revealing. For a sizable share of Republican Catholics, the problem is not Trump attacking the pope. The problem is the pope challenging Trump.
That is a striking reversal of traditional Catholic expectations. The pope is supposed to shape the moral conversation for the faithful.
But in today’s political environment, some voters appear more willing to judge the pope by whether he aligns with their preferred political leader.
Iran, Immigration and the Fight Over Moral Authority
The conflict between Leo and Trump has centered heavily on foreign policy and immigration.
Leo has repeatedly urged diplomacy in the conflict involving Iran, warning against escalation and calling for peace. Trump and his allies have accused the pope of being naïve or politically out of line. The dispute intensified after Trump publicly criticized Leo as weak on crime and foreign policy.
Immigration has been another major flashpoint. Leo has pushed back against policies that treat migrants with disrespect or frame mass removal as a moral solution.
That message fits long-standing Catholic teaching on human dignity, refugees, and the protection of vulnerable people.
But it clashes directly with Trump’s political brand, which has emphasized border enforcement, mass deportations, and tough rhetoric about migrants.
That is why the fight has become larger than one poll. It is now a test of authority. For Catholic Republicans, the question is whether church teaching can still challenge political loyalty, or whether political loyalty now decides which parts of church teaching feel acceptable.
A Warning Sign for the American Church
The poll does not show a collapse in support for Pope Leo. But it does show that American Catholics are not immune from the country’s broader polarization.
For church leaders, that should be concerning.
A faith community cannot easily hold together if every moral statement is immediately judged by whether it helps or hurts a political party.
Leo’s challenge is delicate. If he softens his message to avoid angering Trump’s supporters, he risks weakening the moral clarity expected from the papacy.
If he continues speaking directly on war and immigration, he may deepen resistance among Catholics whose politics are closely tied to Trump.
For now, the numbers show a pope who is still widely respected, but increasingly caught in America’s partisan machinery.
The larger question is not only whether Republican Catholics will continue to support Pope Leo. It is whether American politics has become powerful enough to make even the pope seem negotiable.
