Trump's Protestant Roots Fuel Antipathy Toward Pope

Donald Trump's recent attacks on Pope Leo for criticizing the US attack on Iran and Trump's social media post depicting himself as Jesus Christ make more sense when considering Trump's background. As a young man, Trump attended services at the Protestant Marble Collegiate church in Manhattan, which was led at the time by an anti-Catholic pastor, Norman Vincent Peale.

Peale, best known today as the author of the Christian self-help book The Power of Positive Thinking, made national headlines when Trump was 14 years old. Peale led a group of Protestant churchmen who loudly objected to the presidential candidacy of John F. Kennedy, on the grounds that he was a Catholic.

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This anti-Catholic sentiment seems to have left a lasting impression on the young Trump, who has continued to display a deep antipathy toward the papacy and its leaders. Trump's attacks on Pope Leo for his criticism of US foreign policy actions and Trump's own self-aggrandizing social media posts suggest a personal and ideological conflict rooted in his formative years at the Marble Collegiate church.

The church's history of opposing Catholic influence in American politics, combined with Peale's role as a mentor and officiant at Trump's first wedding, likely contributed to the development of Trump's combative relationship with the Vatican and its current leadership. This background helps explain the president's willingness to openly criticize and challenge the Pope, a dynamic that has persisted throughout his time in office.

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While Trump's religious beliefs and affiliations have evolved over the years, the imprint of his early exposure to anti-Catholic rhetoric and activism at the Marble Collegiate church appears to have left a lasting mark on his worldview and approach to dealing with the papacy. As Trump continues to navigate the complex relationship between the United States and the Catholic Church, this historical context provides important insight into the roots of his antagonism toward Pope Leo and the Vatican.