Understanding Pope Leo’s Relationship With Right-Wing Leaders
By: Serre Verweij
President Trump has recently been engaged in a political struggle against Pope Leo. The catalyst were critical remarks of the Pope’s that aimed at the war with Iran (which the USA fights alongside Israel). While an open conflict between Rome and Trump was somehow avoided under Francis (it’s a mystery how) it has ironically now happened under Pope Leo, instead. Why?
Commentators who push the notions that Pope Leo is another Francis portray him as a progressive who clashes with Trump on that basis. Yet, this is very doubtful. Leo hasn’t acted friendly with important Democrats so far the way Francis had. He had a private (and almost certainly requested) meeting with Obama’s political adviser David Axelrod, but that has been about it. He hasn’t pressured American bishops to give Biden or Pelosi communion, nor suggested President Trump isn’t Christian the way Francis did. While cardinals Cupich, Tobin and McElroy have made more partisan statements, they have been like that for years and never needed active encouragement from Leo to do so. Unlike Francis, he has specifically pushed back against media attempts to frame broader messaging of him as anti-Trump. He told reporters that the frame pushed by journalists, that his Africa trip contained attacks on Trump is wrong.
More importantly, he gets along well with several right-wing politicians, including Italian prime minister Georgia Meloni. While Francis had some common ground with her, he also pushed her strongly on her anti-migration positions, something Pope Leo hasn’t done yet. This raises the obvious question, why the relation between President Trump and Pope Leo has deteriorated, while the likes of Meloni are on good terms with him.
