Ian Linden: Trump's little outburst

Dr Ian Linden

"[Leo] wasn't on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican….Leo should get his act together as Pope, use common sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a politician". Donald Trump 12 April 2026.

As neither a cardinal nor a Catholic, someone believing a fantasy of this kind that you are personally responsible for the appointment of a particular Pope would normally suggest a level of narcissism indicating mental illness. That is unless you are deliberately trying to create such an impression. Which of these applies to Donald Trump is a dilemma posed for those who have to deal with the President of the United States.

The celebrated political American scientist Timothy Synder, now wisely a professor in Toronto, believes we should think more in the direction of Trump performing, rather than being, a full-blown uncontrolled narcissistic sociopath. You ask yourself is the accompanying mocked-up picture of Trump dressed as a Christ-like figure lighting the world and healing a sick man 'only' intended as some kind of blasphemous joke? After this ramble against Pope Leo, I'm not so sure.

Trump's other persona, the foul-mouthed Mafia boss, perhaps came in useful for property dealing in New York's school of knocks. It is increasingly the role adopted in what passes for Trump's diplomacy. Fall into line, pay your protection money or we burn down your restaurant. Quite persuasive when taking over territory - at least in movies.

Trump's Truth Social ramble last Sunday, was something of an outburst foretold. But had the Pope been Filipino, he would also have been reacting to the wars around the world, criticizing warmongers and calling for peace. An American Pope could not ignore an American war thwarting diplomatic negotiations that were making progress, chosen and justified with the misuse of Christian scriptures, and prayer. And it is hardly news that the Holy Land is in the Middle East and Christians are suffering alongside everyone else.

In one way, this is a comforting sign that the regime thinks American Catholics may heed the Pope's words. Also, whilst the Trump minions are playing at their version of Christian Nationalism, Vice-President Vance cannot handle his relations with the Church in the same way as JFK, strict separation of State and Church. As the number one contender for the 2028 Presidential elections perhaps Vance and his Catholicism is deliberately being put on the line by Trump.

These developments, of course, pose the Pope and the American hierarchy a growing problem. US Catholics are not immune to MAGA mythology. There is the question of the balance between the imperatives of truth and the quest for a healthy unity. The Pope is, of course, simply making timely theological interventions marked by his Augustinian formation. And by comparison, he is far less American in his pastoral experience than John Paul II was Polish in his.

Pope Leo has no intention of engaging in dialogue with Trump though he 'doubled-down' in his response to journalists' questions on the plane to Algeria on Monday. "I do not think the message of the Gospel should be abused in the way some people are doing", he told them. "I will continue to speak out loudly against war, to try to promote peace, multilateral dialogue between states in order to seek the right solutions to problems.... The message of the Gospel is the message of the Church, blessed are the peacemakers. I do not see my role as that of a politician", a point he made several times. It is some commentary on the life of a modern Pope when a visit to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, with their multiple problems, coincides with verbal abuse from the leader of the most powerful nation in earth. May be return safely.

Maybe the message will get through to White House that the successor to Peter preaches the Gospel and speaks to a global Church, not only to a particular country. It's in the job description and scarcely esoteric knowledge. But there is one thing for which we should be grateful to Trump this week: with some 20% of the American population identifying as Catholics (some 75 million), and with even only 1% of these voting in the midterm elections reacting angrily to Sunday's outburst with traditional loyalty to the papacy, changing their vote from Republican to Democrat as a result, he has just handed over the Senate and Congress to the Democrats.

Professor Ian Linden is Visiting Professor at St Mary's University, Strawberry Hill, London. A past director of the Catholic Institute for International Relations, he was awarded a CMG for his work for human rights in 2000. He has also been an adviser on Europe and Justice and Peace issues to the Department of International Affairs of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales. Ian chairs a new charity for After-school schooling in Beirut for Syrian refugees and Lebanese kids in danger of dropping out partnering with CARITAS Lebanon and work on board of Las Casas Institute in Oxford with Richard Finn OP. His latest book was Global Catholicism published by Hurst in 2009.

To read Dr Linden's blog see: www.ianlinden.com/latest-blogs/