Trump's Feud With Pope Strains GOP's Bond With Religious Right

Conservative Latter-Day Saints in Utah struggle to reconcile their values with the Trump-era GOP

Apr. 15, 2026 at 8:55pm

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A serene, cinematic painting of an empty church sanctuary, with warm sunlight streaming through the windows and deep shadows casting a contemplative mood, conceptually representing the spiritual disconnect between the GOP and its religious supporters.The widening gulf between the Republican Party and its religious conservative base leaves many faithful voters feeling spiritually adrift.Salt Lake City Today

President Donald Trump's uneasy but reliable alliance with the Christian Right is showing signs of strain, as his actions and rhetoric increasingly clash with the values of conservative religious voters, particularly in the Mormon community of Utah. McKay Coppins of MS NOW reports that many Utah Republicans are finding it harder to 'feel at home' in the Trump-led GOP, as the president's feuds with religious figures and his divisive behavior make it difficult for them to continue supporting him.

Why it matters

The religious right has been a crucial voting bloc for the Republican Party for decades, but Trump's disregard for traditional Christian values is threatening to undermine that longstanding alliance. As the GOP struggles to find a post-Trump identity, the party's ability to appeal to religious conservatives will be a key factor in determining its future direction.

The details

Trump has made a number of moves that have alienated conservative religious voters, including feuding with Pope Francis and posting a meme depicting himself as Jesus Christ. These actions have made it increasingly difficult for devout Republicans, especially in Utah's Mormon community, to reconcile their values with the current state of the GOP. Many are now 'praying and hoping for a post-Trump revitalization' of the party's commitment to 'character and integrity in our leaders'.

  • Trump has had an uneasy but reliable alliance with the Christian Right for over a decade.
  • In recent weeks, Trump has feuded with the Pope and posted a meme depicting himself as Jesus Christ.

The players

Donald Trump

The current President of the United States, whose actions and rhetoric have strained the Republican Party's longstanding alliance with the religious right.

McKay Coppins

A reporter for MS NOW who is currently in Salt Lake City, Utah, observing the reactions of conservative Latter-Day Saints to Trump's presidency.

Stuart Stevens

An adviser to the Lincoln Project, a group of Republicans critical of Trump.

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What they’re saying

“I mean, it's like something that they were sort of used to and that they would not hold him to the same standard that they have. And I think all of that's gotten very old. And at a certain point, you do want to look at the White House and feel aspirational.”

— Stuart Stevens, Lincoln Project Adviser

“And then when he does something like this, when he starts a feud with the pope, when he, you know, when he posts a meme of himself as Jesus Christ, like, it just it makes it so hard for them to really feel at home in this Republican Party.”

— McKay Coppins, Reporter, MS NOW

What’s next

As the Republican Party grapples with its post-Trump future, its ability to reconnect with religious conservative voters like those in Utah's Mormon community will be a key factor in determining the party's direction and appeal.

The takeaway

Trump's disregard for traditional Christian values has strained the Republican Party's longstanding alliance with the religious right, particularly among conservative Latter-Day Saints in Utah. This threatens to undermine a crucial voting bloc for the GOP and makes it harder for the party to find a unifying post-Trump identity.