Overview
- The Pew poll conducted May 26 to June 1, 2026 found about 78% of U.S. Catholics view Pope Leo XIV favorably and 12% view him unfavorably.
- Democratic-leaning Catholics are more positive about Leo than Republican-leaning Catholics, with roughly 84% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans expressing favorable views.
- Opinions on the public dispute differ sharply by party, with 70% of Democratic-leaning Catholics saying President Trump has been too critical of Leo compared with 32% of Republican-leaning Catholics.
- Conservative Catholic disapproval has risen since August 2025, increasing from about 6% then to roughly 22% now, and a growing share of Republican-identifying Catholics side with Trump over the pope on the dispute.
- Surveys in six Latin American countries show majorities favor Leo, led by Peru at about 79%, but several countries rate him lower than Pope Francis did early in his papacy, a trend that could affect the Vatican’s regional influence if public tensions continue.