We wish we had Townhall's Amy Curtis back as a freelancer, as she was our expert on all things Catholic. 60 Minutes managed to find three bishops who disapprove of President Donald Trump's illegal immigration crackdown, and now, suddenly, the mainstream media has an interest in Catholicism again. 60 Minutes' Norah O'Donnell credits the segment, which also included footage of Pope Leo speaking against the war with Iran, with inspiring Trump to "attack" the pope on Truth Social on Sunday night. Trump's attacks included calling Pope Leo "weak on crime" and "too liberal." (Pope Leo met with David Axelrod last week.) LoO'Donnell explains:
We are witnessing an unprecedented clash between an American president and the American pope. Shortly after our @60Minutes report last night, President Trump took to Truth Social with a lengthy post criticizing Pope Leo. This morning, the pope responded. Here’s what happened. pic.twitter.com/1dhMoCbkK4
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 13, 2026
Maria Shriver was among those responding to what the AP called Trump's "attack."
The President of the United States attacking the Pope. You can’t make this up. https://t.co/XjEHG5unvs
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) April 13, 2026
Explain how that’s attacking the Pope.
— Jim Verdi (@jjverdi) April 13, 2026
The @Pontifex inserting himself into American politics. No surprise to Catholics.
— AAE (@AAC0519) April 13, 2026
An attack? Were police called? Files charged? Or are you just lying?
— Ban Notice 🇺🇸 (@BannedNotice) April 13, 2026
Also clutching her pearls was losing congressional candidate Amy McGrath:
I was raised to revere and honor the papacy. I remember the friendship Reagan had with Pope John Paul II.
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) April 13, 2026
Never would I have imagined as a girl growing up in Catholic schools that America would someday have a president who disrespects the Pope.
Just curious, but did Pope John Paul II bless a chunk of ice in the name of "climate change"?
— Blistering Barnacles (@jamesdturnham) April 13, 2026
Why am I surprised at the newly discovered devoutness sweeping the Democratic Party?
— Big XII Stake Conference (@pbarlow1966) April 13, 2026
Separation of church and state when we’re snuffing out babies a day before the due date, unity of church and state when we’re importing 50 million third world welfare-scamming barbarians
— Oilfield Rando (@Oilfield_Rando) April 13, 2026
The pope even got support from Muslims after posting a meme of himself in a messianic fashion on Truth Social.
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex), I condemn the insult to Your Excellency on behalf of the great nation of Iran, and declare that the desecration of Jesus, the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is not acceptable to any free person. I wish you glory by Allah.
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) April 13, 2026
Podcaster and former political director for ABC News, Mark Halperin, is here to tell you that Trump is dead politically, dead.
I'm here to tell you, folks, that if Donald Trump attacks the Pope, he is dead -- dead, I tell you -- politically.
— Mark Halperin (@MarkHalperin) April 13, 2026
I mean, who could attack a popular Pope and get away with it.....?https://t.co/NFCbZlmv1Z
Nobody will remember tomorrow. Calm down.
— JWF (@JammieWF) April 13, 2026
— Bob (@BobSterba) April 13, 2026
He is not a popular Pope. Trump is not running for office. Ridiculous. Curious to say twice… ‘he is dead’.
— 🇺🇸 MSQUARED🇺🇸 🗽 (@melissamiller33) April 13, 2026
There goes his 2028 reelection.
— “Scoop” Texas 🦅🇺🇸😎 (@VEtFeMaLE) April 13, 2026
😏
Get out of your bubble. Leo is actually closing in on Francis as the least popular modern day Pope.
— Lady Liberty (@WeDidItOnce) April 13, 2026
You are a imbecile. Popular Pope? He supports mass migration and has a Muslim prayer room.
— Kate (@kate_p45) April 13, 2026
Then there are non-Catholics who really don't care. He's not God and it's ridiculous to think he can attack and not be attacked back
— Sandy Hardy (@har26606511) April 13, 2026
— Katie Yonke (@JKHomestead) April 13, 2026
Seriously, the media, especially CBS News, is trying to make this into a story. Trump called Pope Leo "too liberal." That's going to turn off conservative Catholics?
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