MAGA Catholics Furious as Pope Leo Slams Trump's 'Gospel': Real Reason Conservatives Are Calling Him the Woke Pope

A substantial division has erupted between the Vatican and the American right-wing. When Pope Leo publicly criticised Donald Trump's political messaging, declaring it a false 'gospel', he didn't just spark a debate — he fuelled outright anger among MAGA Catholics.

The result is a sharp new critique: many prominent conservatives are now labelling the head of the global Church the 'Woke Pope'.

A Progressive Successor: The 'Woke Pope' Label Arrives Early

Though cardinals selected Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pontiff, in May to follow the late Pope Francis, he was quickly dubbed the 'woke pope.' Despite this, American conservatives reportedly maintained some optimism that the new Church leader would move away from the outspoken progressive stance of his predecessor.

However, five months into his term, the Chicago native leading the Catholic Church has provoked MAGA-supporting conservatives on various matters. This includes intensifying his strong objections to the Trump government as it increases its efforts to deport people.

'The fact that I am American means, among other things, people can't say, like they did about Francis, "he doesn't understand the United States, he just doesn't see what's going on"', Leo said in a recent interview.

American Roots, Global Views: Leo's Pre-Papacy Politics

The pope, born Robert Francis Prevost on the South Side of Chicago, apparently participated in multiple Republican primary elections. Nevertheless, an account on the platform X using his name, with posts dating to 2015, previously circulated material challenging Trump's strategy on immigration and suggesting support for other policies, such as tighter rules on firearms.

'Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed?', he seemingly wrote in 2024, criticising Trump's discussion with the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, regarding cooperation on deportations.

Lately, Pope Leo has begun to direct his disapproval squarely at the Trump administration, particularly the stronger approach favoured by Secretary Pete Hegseth. 'This wording, like going from minister of defence to minister of war — let's hope it's just a figure of speech', he recently remarked in Italian.

The Workers' Pope: Condemning Wealth and Inequality

He took his name from Pope Leo XIII, who was the head of the Catholic Church between 1878 and 1903. That former pontiff was known as 'The Pope of the Workers' and dedicated his role to tackling the harsh, unrestricted economic policies of his time.

Speaking to the Catholic news site Crux, Leo XIV focused on 'some things going on in the (United) States that are of concern in our current era, and suggested that "sometimes decisions are made more based on economics than on human dignity and human support"'.

An Open Church: The Migrant and Missionary Message

He became more explicit during his sermon on 5 October for the Holy Mass marking the Jubilee of the Missions and of Migrants.

Addressing an audience of over 10,000 people outside St Peter's Basilica, Leo instructed them that 'in long-established Christian communities, like those in the West, the arrival of many brothers and sisters from the global South should be embraced as a chance.

This will facilitate an exchange that revitalises the Church's appearance and helps maintain a Christian faith that is more welcoming, vibrant, and energetic.

He followed the sermon with a post on X later that day: 'No one should be forced to flee, nor exploited or mistreated because of their situation as foreigners or people in need! Human dignity must always come first!'

The False 'Gospel': Confronting Trump's Anti-Immigration Stance

Before he became the pope, Leo shared an article titled, 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' Then, in January, the vice president cited St Augustine to defend the Trump administration's choice to reduce foreign assistance and enforce a harsh clampdown on immigration.

Vance, a Catholic convert, told Fox News that 'there is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbour, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritise the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that.'

'Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others', the person who would become Pope Leo said in reply, stating the vice president was 'wrong.'

The Initial Fury: 'Worst Pick for MAGA Catholics'

It is not surprising that the MAGA movement was already displeased about the choice of an American pope even before he made any official public statements. Former White House strategist Steve Bannon labelled his appointment 'surprising' and declared Leo to be the 'poorest choice for MAGA Catholics.'

Right-wing activist Laura Loomer instantly described Leo as 'Anti-Trump, anti-Maga, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.' The late Charlie Kirk put forward the idea that Leo was an 'open borders globalist installed to counter Trump.'

The President, however, first reacted to the selection of the new pontiff with approval: 'To have the pope from the United States of America, that's a great honor.'

From Climate to Culture: The Environmental and Social Divide

In a 40-page 'Apostolic Exhortation' called 'Dilexi te'—which means 'I have loved you'—the pontiff explained that while Francis initially began the document, it is ultimately his own completed piece. With its emphasis on what he termed a 'dictatorship' of unequal wealth distribution, some conservatives viewed the text as proof that Leo was denouncing American right-wing principles.

'God has a special place in his heart for those who are discriminated against and oppressed, and he asks us, his church, to make a decisive and radical choice in favor of the weakest', Leo wrote. 'Thus, in a world where the poor are increasingly numerous, we paradoxically see the growth of a wealthy elite, living in a bubble of comfort and luxury, almost in another world compared to ordinary people.'

As The Washington Post pointed out, 'the document's release follows the most vocal 10 days of Leo's pontificate. Continuing his predecessor's efforts, Leo began his series of public statements by addressing 1,000 delegates at the tenth anniversary event for Pope Francis's climate gathering, Laudato Si.

One week after Trump asserted that climate change was a 'con job' during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Leo voiced his hope that the Vatican conference would encourage leaders to 'listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.'

The Pro-Life Equation: Redefining the Church's Stance

Many outlets in MAGA media ridiculed Leo for putting his hand on a huge piece of ice brought from a melting glacier in Greenland. Standing beside celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, the pontiff stated, 'We will raise hope by demanding that leaders act with courage, not delay. Will you join with us?'

BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler complained, 'Throw that holy water on these communists. See how many demons jump out of them.' Calling the event 'horrific,' Daily Wire pundit Matt Walsh said, 'The leader of the Catholic Church shouldn't be anywhere near this nonsense.'

Instead of discarding Francis's environmental work, as US conservatives had hoped, Leo is supervising a Vatican project to transform farmland north of Rome into a huge solar energy facility. This initiative is anticipated to make Vatican City the planet's first state to achieve carbon neutrality. Meanwhile, American conservatives are too tied to the powerful oil sector to care about changes in the climate.

However, what truly angered conservatives was Leo's answer to a query concerning an honour Archbishop Blaise Cupich of Chicago intended to present to Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois. The retiring Senate whip was to be recognised for his advocacy work for immigrants. More than ten bishops across the nation, including those from Durbin's home area, raised objections, referring to his history of supporting abortion rights.

'I think that it's very important to look at the overall work that a senator has done during, if I'm not mistaken, 40 years of service in the United States Senate', the pontiff told reporters.

'It's important to look at many issues that are related to what is the teaching of the church. Someone who says 'I'm against abortion' but says 'I'm in favour of the death penalty' is not really pro-life. Someone who says 'I'm against abortion, but I'm in favour of the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States'—I don't know if that's pro-life.'

As a senior Vatican official explained to The Post, that response demonstrates that 'the difference between Leo's vision and Catholics of the right in the United States is clear.' Shortly following the pontiff's statements, Durbin confirmed that he had refused the honour.

'Awful stuff from the Pope,' the Daily Wire commentator Matt Walsh posted on social media.'Just total error', wrote far-right influencer Jack Posobiec, who participated in a White House discussion with the President this week. The Christian personality Allie Beth Stuckey criticised the pope's statements as 'awful, left-wing logic'.

Why the Uproar is 'Comical': A Truly 'Catholic' Pope

The conservative demand for Leo to confine himself to religious matters is particularly amusing, given that the term 'catholic' itself means universal. Nothing he has said or done so far is notably contentious.

The Vatican retains its core doctrines, even while Leo introduces a totally fresh feel to the Church on occasions like the first-ever hip-hop performance at the Vatican. The contemporary Catholic Church has always maintained a pro-life stance that extends beyond just abortion, incorporating opposition to the death sentence.