Overview
- Republican donor Hal Lambert used CNN’s NewsNight to claim Barack Obama, adviser David Axelrod, and “Pope Leo” were coordinating to hurt President Trump’s Catholic support.
- His claim followed Trump’s social post that attacked the pope’s calls for peace and labeled him “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible at Foreign Policy.”
- Host Abby Phillip and panelists challenged the theory, noting the pope’s criticism of U.S. and Israeli actions in the Iran conflict came before Axelrod’s reported visit.
- Commentator Leigh McGowan pointed to Vice President JD Vance’s prior meeting with the pope to show such meetings are common and not evidence of a plot.
- Lambert served on Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee and leads Point Bridge Capital, which markets a MAGA-branded fund, highlighting how partisan figures use media to amplify unsupported claims.