Pope Leo XIV remains widely popular among American Catholics, but new polling shows his support is slipping among Republican Catholics as his public feud with President Donald Trump deepens.
A new Pew Research Center survey found that 78% of U.S. Catholics have a favorable view of Pope Leo. That is still a strong approval level, but it is down from 84% in summer 2025.
The shift is most visible among Catholics who identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. Among Catholic Republicans, favorable views of Pope Leo fell from 84% in August 2025 to 72% in June 2026.
At the same time, unfavorable views of the pope among Republican Catholics rose from 6% to 22%.
The decline comes after months of tension between Pope Leo and Trump over immigration, war, foreign policy and the role of religion in politics.
Pope Leo has repeatedly urged world leaders to pursue peace and diplomacy, including during the U.S.-Iran conflict. Trump has fired back publicly, accusing the pope of being weak on crime and bad on foreign policy.
The Pew survey suggests that many Catholics believe Trump has gone too far. About half of U.S. Catholics said Trump has been too critical of Pope Leo.
However, the numbers also show a partisan divide. Democratic-leaning Catholics overwhelmingly say Trump has been too critical of the pope. Republican-leaning Catholics are more divided, with many saying Pope Leo has been too critical of the Trump administration.
The findings highlight a growing political split inside American Catholicism. Pope Leo remains popular overall, but his criticism of Trump-era policies appears to be reshaping how some conservative Catholics view him.
The divide also comes at a time when Catholic voters remain important in U.S. politics. Catholics are often closely watched in national elections because they are spread across both major parties and can influence key swing states.
Supporters of Pope Leo say he is following Catholic teaching by defending migrants, opposing war and calling for human dignity. Trump supporters argue that the pope is stepping too far into political debate and unfairly targeting the president.
For now, the poll shows Pope Leo is still far more popular with U.S. Catholics than unpopular. But among Republican Catholics, his once-overwhelming support has clearly weakened.
The result is a major warning sign for both the Vatican and the White House: the Trump-Pope Leo feud is no longer just a headline. It is now showing up in the numbers.
