U.S. bishop urges Trump to apologize to the Pope

Bishop Robert Barron. Photo: Catholic Digest

On April 13, 2026, Catholic Bishop Robert Barron said that U.S. President Donald Trump should publicly apologize to Pope Leo XIV for his harsh social media posts.

In a post on X, Bishop Barron described the president’s remarks as wholly inappropriate and stressed that they do not help foster constructive dialogue.

“I would warmly recommend that serious Catholics within the Trump administration – Secretary Rubio, Vice President Vance, Ambassador Brian Burch, and others – might meet with Vatican officials so that a real dialogue can take place,” Bishop Robert Barron wrote. “This is far preferable to the statements on social media.”

The bishop noted that the pope has the unique authority to articulate Catholic teaching and the principles of moral life, even though people of good will may disagree about how those principles should be applied in particular cases. At the same time, Barron added that he appreciates the Trump administration’s efforts to defend religious freedom, but believes "the President owes the Pope an apology."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the pope had said he was not afraid of Trump and would continue speaking out against wars.

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