The latest instance of Trump attacking Pope Leo erupted on Saturday, when the president publicly criticized the pontiff for meeting with one of his political adversaries. The flashpoint was a set of photographs showing Pope Leo XIV alongside Brandon Johnson, the mayor of Chicago, the pope’s own hometown. The episode brings together several of Trump’s ongoing feuds in a single, highly charged moment.

A Sharp Rebuke on Truth Social

Trump did not hold back. Taking to Truth Social during a busy stretch of posting, the 79-year-old president fired off a pointed message aimed at the pope and the mayor alike.

In his post, Trump declared that someone ought to explain to the pope that the mayor of Chicago is useless, before pivoting abruptly to insist that Iran cannot be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. He signed off with his full name, lending the message his characteristic flourish.

In a telling detail, the president also reposted some of the mayor’s own photos from the Rome trip. The move suggested that Trump had been closely monitoring his rivals’ social media activity, keeping tabs on their movements even abroad.

The Mayor’s Visit to the Vatican

Johnson, 50, traveled to Rome this week with a sizable delegation of leaders. The centerpiece of the trip was his meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday.

The mayor came bearing gifts, presenting the pope with a box of distinctly Chicago items. Among them were baseball caps from both the Cubs and the White Sox, a key to the city, and local Chicago honey. On its surface, it was a warm gesture of civic pride.

A Gift With a Political Message

Yet the gift carried more than hometown charm. Johnson appeared to be sending a deliberate message to Trump through some of the included items. The package featured:

• A hat reading “Immigrants Make America Greater”
• A sanctuary city pin
• Letters from families of detained migrants
• A pin from one of the city’s “ICE Watch” groups

Taken together, these items read as a clear statement on immigration policy, positioning Johnson firmly against the administration’s enforcement approach and signaling his stance directly to the watching president.

A Feud Months in the Making

The clash between Johnson and Trump is far from new. The two have been at odds for months, with the president expressing fury over the mayor’s refusal to cooperate with ICE operations in Chicago. Trump has gone so far as to claim that Johnson endangered officers, though without offering evidence.

The hostility reached a notable peak in October, when Trump unleashed a tirade against both Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Truth Social. In that outburst, he asserted that the Chicago mayor should be jailed for failing to protect ICE officers, and extended the same demand to Pritzker, again providing no supporting evidence.

Chicago, for its part, responded with characteristic defiance. During the winter, the city named a snow plow “Abolish ICE” as part of a citywide naming competition. Other winning entries included playful jabs such as “Stephen Coldbert” and “Pope Frio XIV,” reflecting the city’s willingness to needle the administration with humor.

The Pope’s Role in Trump’s Disputes

Pope Leo XIV has himself become entangled in the president’s web of conflicts. The pontiff has used his platform to speak out on several issues that put him at odds with Trump, including denouncing the war in Iran and warning against both tyrannical government and the excessive accumulation of wealth.

The relationship has had its complicated turns. In April, Leo attempted to distance himself from remarks that appeared to directly criticize Trump. Since then, however, he has re-entered the fray, increasingly willing to voice his views on matters of policy and morality.

Clashes Over Capital Punishment and Immigration

One striking confrontation came over the death penalty. Just hours after the Justice Department announced it was lifting a moratorium on federal capital punishment and reinstating firing squad executions, the pope released a video message condemning the move.

In his statement, Leo emphasized the Catholic Church’s consistent teaching that every human life, from conception until natural death, is sacred and worthy of protection. The timing left little doubt about the target of his concern.

The pope has not stopped there. He has also spoken out regarding the invasion of Venezuela and the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrants, further cementing his role as a moral counterweight to several administration policies.

The Mayor’s Warm Words

For his part, Johnson framed the Vatican meeting in glowing terms. On X on Friday, he shared a series of photographs of himself with the pope and described the encounter as an honor, calling Pope Leo XIV a magnificent human being and expressing gratitude for the time they shared.

The contrast between the mayor’s affectionate tribute and the president’s biting criticism captured the broader dynamic at play, with Johnson and Leo presenting a united front of sorts against an irritated Trump.

The Bigger Picture

The spectacle of Trump attacking Pope Leo over a meeting with the Chicago mayor illustrates how thoroughly the president’s political battles have merged. Immigration policy, sanctuary cities, capital punishment, and foreign conflicts all swirl together in this single episode, with Johnson and the pope on one side and Trump on the other.

What began as a simple diplomatic visit to Rome has become another front in a series of overlapping feuds. As Johnson continues to resist federal immigration efforts and the pope continues to weigh in on moral questions, the friction with Trump shows no sign of easing. For now, the photographs from the Vatican stand as a vivid symbol of just how personal and far-reaching these disputes have become.