There is a short circuit that goes beyond polemics and touches on the realm of worldviews. On one side, force; on the other, universalism. On one side, the simplification of power; on the other, its complexity.
It is along this fault line that the clash between Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV is unfolding — an unprecedented confrontation in both intensity and form, amplified by an era—defined by social media and politics-as-spectacle — that leaves little room for nuance. We discuss this with Pasquale Annicchino, professor of law and religion at the University of Foggia and former member of the OSCE/ODIHR panel of experts on religion.
Q: Are we witnessing a rational confrontation, or something that escapes the traditional categories of politics?
A: I have come to the conclusion that it is increasingly difficult to rationalize what Donald Trump does. Not that it takes a genius to reach that conclusion.
- We are dealing with someone who says everything and its opposite.
- Rather than offering a linear reading, one can provide a contextual analysis: the point is that Trump tends to simplify even the exercise of power, without grasping its complexity.
Q: In what way does this simplification affect his relationship with the Pope?
A: Trump seems to believe that, since the Pope is American, he should somehow respond to his diktats.
- It is a simplistic line of reasoning that fails to account for the fact that power is not only vertical, but made up of balances, relationships, symbolic and universal dimensions.
Q: Is there also a domestic dimension linked to his electorate?
A: Absolutely. Trump has built an almost idolatrous—one might say messianic—relationship with part of his electorate, especially within the conservative sphere.
- This reinforces a dynamic in which consensus feeds on strong oppositions.
Q: How much does the media factor weigh in this clash?
A: It weighs heavily. For Trump, the media plane often coincides with reality.
- He knows that the Pope is an extremely popular figure with a global following, and this places him in competition on that terrain as well. It is no coincidence that certain tensions emerge precisely at moments of high media visibility for the Pontiff.
Q: Is this an unprecedented clash between the United States and the Catholic Church?
A: I would say yes, at least in these terms. It is the first time we are witnessing such a direct and public confrontation between Washington and the Holy See, amplified by social media.
- And it is a clash between two opposing visions of the exercise of power, against the backdrop of a clear crisis of multilateralism.
Q: Did recent statements lay the groundwork for this rupture?
A: Certainly. The Pope has openly criticized a diplomacy based on force, while the Holy See — just think of Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s position — has shown coolness toward certain U.S. initiatives such as the Board of Peace.
- Since January, frictions had already been significant.
Q: Has Trump underestimated the nature of the Pope’s mission?
A: Yes, this is a central point. He fails to understand that the Pope exercises a universal mission that transcends national logics. Trying to bring him back into a purely domestic U.S. framework is a fundamental mistake.
Q: What are the implications for Italy, from your perspective?
A: From an Italian perspective, a political issue emerges. Certain positioning signals, such as the statement by Forza Italia in support of the Pontiff, point to a broader difficulty within the governing coalition.
- I would describe it as a crisis in the cultural infrastructure of the governing right, also because a certain reference to “Orbanism” has weakened.
Q: Should Italy take a position?
A: In my view, yes.
- This is not about siding against the United States, but about recognizing the value of the Holy See, which is located within our territory and represents a unique geopolitical asset.
- Many international leaders have condemned attacks of this kind against the Pope: Italy’s silence risks being problematic.
Q: Ultimately, what is the core issue in this clash?
A: The core issue is a different conception of power and, more deeply, a limited understanding of how the Catholic Church functions.
- That is where the real contest lies, well beyond the immediate polemic.
For a deeper look at the growing confrontation between the Trump administration and the Vatican, see our “Vatican Archives”.
