Trump Refuses to Apologize - Dispute with Pope May Affect Midterm Election Results

(Washington News) US President Trump refused to apologize on Monday for criticizing Pope John XIV, insisting that the fault lies with the Pope. The Pope also stated that he is not afraid of the Trump administration and will continue to preach the gospel. The dispute between the two may have a significant impact on the US midterm elections in November.

On Monday (April 13th), Trump responded to media inquiries at the White House, saying: "Pope John XIV said some incorrect things... We firmly believe in law and order, and he seemed to disagree with this, so I have nothing to apologize for."

The Pope earlier stated that Trump's remarks threatening to wipe out the entire Iranian civilization were unacceptable. He also condemned Trump's policy of mass deportation of immigrants as inhumane and criticized Trump's intervention in Venezuela.

On Sunday, Trump posted a tweet on social media, blasting the Pope, accusing him of being ineffective in combating crime and having a disastrous foreign policy. Trump also suggested that Pius XIV became the Pope because he was an American.

Trump's blatant criticism of the Pope has sparked controversy in the United States. Italian Prime Minister Meloni has also rarely criticized Trump's remarks, calling them unacceptable. Meloni issued a statement on Monday: "The Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church. He calls for peace and condemns all forms of war as reasonable."

Pope Francis XIV stated on Monday during a media interview on the papal plane that he is not a political figure and does not wish to engage in disputes with Trump. He said: "I am not afraid of the Trump administration... I am not only addressing him, but also all leaders in the world: Let us strive to end wars and promote peace and reconciliation."

The Pope also pointed out that the message of the Gospel should not be misused, just as some people are doing.

On Sunday, Trump posted an image generated by artificial intelligence (AI) on social media. In the image, he is wearing a robe and is healing a patient surrounded by medical staff and soldiers. It seems that he is comparing himself to Jesus.

This move has sparked strong criticism. Brilyn Hollyhand, who was the co-chair of the Youth Advisory Committee of the Republican National Committee, wrote on social media: "This is a serious desecration. Faith is not a prop. You don't need to portray yourself as a savior. Your achievements should be enough to prove everything."

This picture has been deleted. Trump said on Monday that the picture depicted a scene of doctors saving lives.

Trump is not a frequent churchgoer, but he has gained support from American evangelical Christians with his conservative nativist ideology. As the war intensifies and Americans' concerns about the economy grow, if Trump angers the religious right voters by criticizing the Pope and releasing images that may have religious connotations, it could increase the risk that the Republican Party loses control of Congress in the mid-term elections in November.

David Gibson, the director of the Center for Religion and Culture at Fordham University in the United States, pointed out that although the US president and American Catholics had disagreed with the Pope in the past, Trump's behavior demonstrated disrespect. Gibson told Reuters: "This is a watershed moment - will American Catholics choose the Pope or the president?"