Pope Don versus Pope Leo

Pope Don versus Pope Leo

Much has been written about the recent dustup between the president and the Pope. Leo had said that he will continue to call for peace. “I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.” What I found curious was that he also said that he was not afraid of Trump. “I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do.” Now don’t you think it is a bit weird that the Pope would say that? Why would he ever be afraid of the Trump administration? 

Of course, the president took this as a personal attack and again elevated his own self-importance by depicting himself as Jesus. The president tweeted that Leo was chosen because he was an American, and the Catholic Church wanted to curry favor with him. “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about “fear” of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mentionthe FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart. I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History. Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican. Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Again, Trump is all about Trump. Maybe he really would like to be Pope (except for that celibacy thing). But at least he did not call the Pope a LOSER and having a LOW IQ like he has done to almost everyone that he has a disagreement with. Trump does not like to be criticized – even by the Pope. He likely sees this as a threat to his authority. As to Leo, one Italian of note said “this is just a huge blessing. It’s wonderful for the church, all over the world, that he is the guy who can stand up to Trump.”

What is noteworthy is how the president immediately turned his ire on Italy’s Giorgia Meloni who he placed in an awkward position. As Italy’s prime minister, no one – including the president – would expect her to be silent to the president’s criticisms of the Pope. At first, she faced sharp criticisms for being silent and not defending the Pope or criticizing Trump. Her Italian critics said that she was politically weak and subservient to Trump while claiming the relationship has brought no benefits to the country. Italy is still is hit with a 15 percent tariff and just survived an attempt to place additional tariffs on its pasta exports.

Meloni’s remarks were mild: “The pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal that he calls for peace and condemns every form

of war. When we don’t agree, we must say it. And this time, we do not agree.” Meloni had said that she found Trump’s words to be “unacceptable.” Trump shot back that Meloni was “unacceptable.” Trump also said Meloni “doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance.” “Meloni doesn’t want to help us with NATO, she doesn’t want to help us get rid of the nuclear weapon. She’s very different from what I thought.” So much for your only European friend.

Although it is against his nature, Trump should realize that in Italy the Pope is untouchable – even an American Pope – and Meloni would have to say the appropriate clucking noises in order to keep from being criticized by political friends and foes alike. What did Trump think that Meloni could stay silent or even take his side against the Pope? Trump may have fractured the friendship between the two. But as one Italian politician put it “Closeness to Trump has not benefited Italy, much less the Meloni government.”