WASHINGTON (April 15, 2026) – This week, ongoing disagreements between the president and Pope Leo XIV continued over political values and the role of religion in public life.
Trump’s criticism appears to have been prompted by a peace vigil the pope led on Saturday at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. During the service, the pope prayed for a world grounded in “dignity, understanding, and forgiveness,” describing it as a counter to what he called an increasingly “unpredictable and aggressive” sense of omnipotence. The pope did not mention Trump by name, but the remarks come amid the president’s decision to launch military action without a detailed public explanation or defined timeline.
These clashes have sparked criticism from religious leaders and believers who feel the president’s views conflict with the values of the Catholic Church.
Experts at the George Washington University are available to provide context and analysis. To schedule an interview, please contact Skyler at skylers
gwu [dot] edu (skylers[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Political Perspective
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is a longtime public servant and higher education leader who has extensive experience tackling critical political and social issues throughout her career. Now, as the executive director of the GW Graduate School of Political Management, she is excited to return to D.C. and help prepare the next generation of public servants and political professionals.
Peter Loge is an associate professor at the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. Professor Loge has over 30 years of experience in politics and communications. He currently leads the Project on Ethics in Political Communication at the School of Media and Public Affairs.
Religious Perspective
Quardricos Driskell is a federal lobbyist and an adjunct professor of legislative politics, where he teaches race, religion, and politics at George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. He also serves as senior pastor of the historic Beulah Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., and is a member of Faith in Public Life’s national coalition.
Nathan Brown is a professor at the George Washington University Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Professor Brown has expertise in religion and politics, authoritarianism, constitutionalism, and comparative judicial politics. He teaches courses on Middle Eastern politics as well as more general courses on comparative politics and international relations.
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