Italian Vatican expert Piero Schiavazzi views Pope Leo XIV as a political counterweight to US President Donald Trump. Speaking to “Handelsblatt” on Thursday, Schiavazzi stated that the Pope has evolved into “a global political leader”. He suggested that Trump’s public attacks on the Pope have actually bolstered his authority rather than diminishing it. Schiavazzi currently holds the world’s sole chair for Vatican geopolitics at the Link University in Rome.
According to Schiavazzi, Pope Leo had deliberately avoided direct confrontation for a long time primarily because many US Catholics support Trump, and the US Church is financially crucial to the Vatican. He noted that, consequently, “an open confrontation would have split the Catholic community in the United States”. Schiavazzi explained that Pope Leo only spoke out after Trump issued threats against the Iranian people, specifically choosing to address “his compatriots as an American”. Schiavazzi added that this particular statement marked the first time Pope Leo had spoken in a distinctly political manner.
For Schiavazzi, the conflict between Pope Leo and Trump symbolizes a deeper divergence of views. He observed that “two notions of Christianity and political responsibility are currently clashing in the United States”. While Trump-aligned circles have religiously justified conflict, Pope Leo emphasizes placing moral boundaries on state power. Furthermore, Schiavazzi believes that Trump’s own reaction demonstrates the Pope’s substantial influence: “The president’s attack, precisely, makes Leo stronger”.