Trump-Pope Feud: Midterm Risk for Republicans

It's April 16th.

This is El Paso News today, your AI-powered local news.

President Trump and Pope Leo XIV are in a heated public feud, sparked by Trump's social

media blasts, calling the Pope weak on crime and bad.

On foreign policy, Noah Apologies from the White House, even after Trump shared images

of himself embracing Jesus, pulling one down by posting another.

The clash ties into the Pope's strong opposition to the U.S. and Israel's moves against Iran.

Sending a massive death tolls if nuke spread, Trump fire back Monday, insisting a nuclear

Iran spells disaster for millions, and the Pope's wrong to fight it.

Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic convert, urged the Vatican to stay out of politics,

while House Speaker Mike Johnson backed that up, saying religious leaders, inviting pushback

when they dive into policy debates.

Democrats in Texas, especially Catholic ones, are calling it offensive and shocking, with

Reps urging someone to take Trump's phone away.

Political experts worry, this hurts Republicans chasing a slim-house majority in the midterms

as Pope Leo pulls way higher than Trump among Americans.

And globally, in Texas, where 67% are Christian and 22% Catholic, this could stall Hispanic voters

drifting Republican over social.

Conservatism and immigration wins along the border.

The Pope's also slammed mass deportations, mutting those gains Trump brags about.

As midterms heat up, this rift risks cooling turnout among key faith voters, forcing Republicans

to navigate faith and politics on a tightrope.