1 month ago
A Republican lawmaker has condemned what he refers to arsenic Donald Trump’s “holy war” against Pope Leo XIV.
Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a agelong protagonist of Trump and nan ultraconservative Maga movement, condemned nan president’s attacks connected nan pope during a Fox News interview on Saturday.
“I emotion nan president for illustration a taco,” said Kennedy, utilizing an overseas move of phrase. He added: “I don’t ever work together pinch him, but I deliberation he wants a amended world. But I don’t work together pinch him astir this caller beatified warfare pinch nan pope.” The senator’s criticism, and his prime of words, mightiness not beryllium good pinch Trump, fixed that his critics person been using nan connection “taco” arsenic an acronym for “Trump ever chickens out”.
Kennedy is simply a Methodist and not a Catholic, a constituent he stressed successful nan interview, possibly to separate himself from nan first Catholic president, Democrat John F Kennedy. The Republican legislator and his woman founded their section religion chapter, according to his authorities biography.
Kennedy added that he has “great respect for Catholicism” and suggested that nan pope should beryllium “entitled to his opinion”. “Why do we want to person a conflict pinch nan pope?” Kennedy continued. “It’s a distraction. And nan property conscionable sucks it up for illustration a Hoover Deluxe [vacuum cleaner].”
Kennedy’s latest question and reply comes arsenic Trump and nan pope person been locked successful a days-long feud complete nan US-Israel warfare against Iran.
Two weeks ago, Leo responded to Trump’s threat that a “whole civilization will die” successful Iran if nan state did not extremity its blockade of nan strait of Hormuz by calling Trump’s remarks “truly unacceptable”, noted “attacks connected civilian infrastructure are against world law” and urged Americans to interaction their members of Congress to telephone for peace.
In a Truth Social station past Sunday, Trump called Pope Leo “WEAK connected Crime, and unspeakable for Foreign Policy.”
Trump added: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to person a Nuclear Weapon.” The pope has, successful fact, spoken retired against what he called “the profound horrors wrought by atomic weapons”.
The president has many times praised Pope Leo XIV’s eldest brother, Louis Prevost, an avid Trump protagonist who lives successful Florida.
Last week, Trump besides posted an AI-generated image depicting himself arsenic Jesus Christ, which moreover immoderate Christian supporters of nan president denounced arsenic blasphemous.
JD Vance, whose forthcoming book is astir his caller conversion to Catholicism, has defended Trump amid anger among Christian voters. “Stick to matters of, you know, what’s going connected successful nan Catholic church,” nan vice-president told Fox News erstwhile asked if he agreed pinch Trump’s attacks connected nan pope. “And fto nan president of nan United States instrumentality to dictating American nationalist policy,” Vance added.
Leo told reporters connected Saturday that he had nary volition of having a back-and-forth statement pinch Trump, but noted that he has “no fear” of nan Trump administration.
