Trending Now - Poll Reveals Discomfort With Trump's Religious Messaging

WHO:

The Washington Post - Americans, President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Pope Leo

Alternet - Kimberly Chopin, a 57-year-old Catholic who voted for Trump

WHAT:

The Washington Post - A poll found that 87 percent of Americans have a negative view of Trump’s social media post depicting him as Jesus.

Alternet - 69 percent of Americans dislike Hegseth’s prayer for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”

Alternet - 79 percent of Republicans and 80 percent of Trump’s 2024 voters disapproved of Trump’s Jesus post.

Alternet - Trump’s approval rating among white evangelical Protestants dropped by 10 percentage points since February 2025.

Alternet - Trump won the white Catholic vote by a more than 20-point margin in the 2024 presidential election, but his approval rating with that group is now at 49 percent, down from 63 percent in February 2025.

Alternet - Trump’s overall approval rate stands at 38 percent for all Catholics, a 10-point drop since February 2025.

Alternet - 2 of 3 Americans react positively to the Pope asking Americans to contact Congress to work for peace and reject war.

Alternet - Nearly 6 in 10 Americans have a negative reaction to Trump’s false claim about the Pope saying “it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”

WHERE:

Alternet - The poll reflects opinions from across the United States.

WHY:

Alternet - Trump’s recent confrontations with religious leaders have complicated his support among religious groups.

Alternet - Chopin expressed that Trump’s posts and comments left her feeling “extremely uncomfortable” and inappropriate.

HOW:

The Washington Post - The poll was conducted by Post-ABC-Ipsos.

(UPDATED May 6, 2026 17:31 UTC)

A recent poll conducted by Post-ABC-Ipsos reveals that 87 percent of Americans view President Trump's social media post depicting him as Jesus negatively, with 79 percent of Republicans and 80 percent of his 2024 voters also disapproving of the image. Additionally, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's prayer for "overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy" has drawn disapproval from 69 percent of Americans, while Trump's approval rating among white evangelical Protestants has dropped by 10 percentage points since February 2025. Many Americans, including Kimberly Chopin, a 57-year-old Catholic who voted for Trump, have expressed discomfort with his recent comments and confrontations with religious leaders, indicating a growing divide in his support among religious groups.