Today, the world's most well-known follower of Augustine's teachings—which encourage charity, truth, humility, and unity—Leo, the reserved and learned pope who was born in Chicago, is cultivating the same contrast in an increasingly contentious dispute with a fiercely combative, arrogant, and vocal political figure from New York.
However, there is much more to this verbal spat between President Donald Trump and the pope than just a disagreement over thin-crust versus deep-dish pizza. Additionally, it has provoked a fierce backlash from religious leaders, Trump's conservative and Christian MAGA supporters, and his former allies. This could exacerbate the already challenging 2026 election cycle for congressional Republicans, as he runs the risk of alienating a significant portion of his base.