Vatican and Trump at odds presents a dilemma for Asian American Catholics-

The image of Donald Trump as a Christ-like figure that he posted on social media may be the last straw for his followers.

The rift between the Trump regime and the Vatican appears to be widening and has conservative Asian American Catholics who voted Republican questioning their political and religious allegiances.

The chill between the Trump administration and the Vatican under Pope Leo XIV has left many in our communities — from the pews of Orange County’s Little Saigon to the parishes of Daly City — feeling caught between our deep love for America and our unwavering devotion to the Holy See. For conservative Filipino and Vietnamese American Catholics, this isn't just a headline; it’s a conflict of the heart.

The gap between Trump and the Pope widened into the Grand Canyon proportions  Sunday when he directly attacked the Pontiff.

“He’s a very liberal person and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime. He’s a man that doesn’t think we should be toying with a country that want a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.” Trump continued his criticism of Leo  Monday, refusing to apologize and insisting, “Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result.”

Pope Leo told the Associated Press, “the things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone, and the message of the Gospel is very clear: blessed are the peacemakers.” Rhe pope later added “to put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is.”

“I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for,” the pope said Monday, while aboard the papal plane, according to the Associated Press.

For the faithful in our community, the spiritual rift between the Trump administration and the Vatican has deepened into a series of painful exclusions and international incidents. This past Holy Week, the tensions felt less like a policy debate and more like a direct targeting of Catholic practice.

The result of a high-level meeting between Pentagon officials and the Vatican's Ambassador to the US resulted in perceived mob-like "threat" to the Vatican, immediately followed by the cancellation of the Pope's summer visit  to help celebrate America's 250th birthday.

The spiritual rift has moved from the headlines into the pews, and the recent explanations from Washington and Jerusalem have only deepened the "crisis of conscience" for our communities.

For many of us, the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope, was a moment of immense pride.  But the honeymoon ended quickly. Trump's harsh immigration policies and the administration’s "militaristic" posture in the Middle East have been strongly criticised by the Holy Father thus creating "house divided" feel. That feeling is especially felt in the Filipino and Vietnamese communities which have the largest percentage of Catholics among Asian Americans.

The 'Avignon' threat

In a meeting between the Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican's Ambassador to the United States and the Pentagon, reportedly to clear the air about the Iran war, resulted in the "chill" turning into a freezing blizzard.

The meeting was prompted by Pope Leo XIV’s urging world leaders to to drop the “desire to dominate others" in his speech on Easter Sunday.

Without specifically mentioning Trump or Iran, the message was clear who he was alluding to. "Enough of the idolatry of self and money!" Leo said. "Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!"

Reports of the Vatican diplomat being lectured by US officials — with references of "Avignon" style dominance — feel like a slight to the moral authority of the Church we were raised to defend.

Avignon refers to the  seven decades, popes lived under the "protection" (and heavy influence) of the French crown, turning the Holy See into a perceived tool of French foreign policy. At the time, the Holy See was forced to move out of the Vatican and rule  out of Avignon, France. That dark period is now known in Catholic history as the "Babylonian Captivity of the Church."

Vatican officials reportedly interpreted the mention of Avignon as a "veiled military threat" rather than a history lesson. In the context of the January meeting at the Pentagon, the subtext is clear.

It was interpreted as a warning of force. By referencing a time when a secular king used military power to "bend the Bishop of Rome to his wishes," the implication is that the US could similarly exert its will over the Church.

Reports suggest Under Secretary Elbridge Colby told the Vatican's ambassador that the US has the military power to do "whatever it wants" and the Church "had better take its side."

The idea that a secular government would remind the Church of its military vulnerability is a direct hit to the "moral authority" we look to for guidance. That Cardinal Christophe Pierre — the Pope's own ambassador — was reportedly subjected to this "bitter lecture" makes the affront feel personal to American Catholics.

Although the Vatican was Initially alarmed, officially Cardinal Pierre has backed off on his first reaction and recently denied that the term "Avignon Papacy" was used, calling the meeting "frank and cordial."

The fact that the Pontiff subsequently canceled his scheduled US visit suggests the Vatican took this "Avignon" talk as a sign that they are no longer welcome as an independent moral voice in Washington. 

Hegseth's anti-Catholic snub

Earlier in what the Catholic Church calls Holy Week, the Pentagon's snub of Catholic service on Good Friday piled on the growing antagonism between Catholics and the current administration.

Allegations that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth holds anti-Catholic views have recently intensified following administrative decisions at the Pentagon and his association with a controversial Protestant denomination. 

While Hegseth has not publicly identified as "anti-Catholic," several of his actions and the teachings of his spiritual mentors have drawn sharp criticism from Catholic leaders and organizations.

Hegseth is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) and has hosted its co-founder, Pastor Doug Wilson, a self-described Christian nationalist, to lead prayer at the Pentagon. Wilson has historically advocated for the banning of public Catholic rituals, such as Marian processions and public Masses.

The Pentagon held a Protestant-only Good Friday service, marking the first time in recent history that no Catholic Mass was offered at the Pentagon Chapel for the holy day. An internal email sent by Air Force leadership explicitly stated: "There will be a Protestant Service (No Catholic Mass) for Good Friday today at the Pentagon Chapel."

While the Pentagon claimed that it was the result of scheduling conflict, the fact that the invited clery were known for their Christian Nationalism fueled the controversy blurring the lines between church and state.

The clergy involved in the Pentagon’s 2026 Good Friday service, specifically evangelical pastor Brooks Potteiger invited by Hegseth, delivered a message focused on Christian nationalism, framing the military’s actions as a fight for righteousness. The services emphasized "overwhelming violence of action" against enemies and praised political leadership, while notably excluding Catholic services.

For a military service where roughly 25% of US troops identify as Catholic, the message felt like a deliberate snub. One anonymous Pentagon employee told reporters the move signaled to Catholics that "their kind ain’t welcome."

The Pentagon described recent reports of religious friction as "grossly false and distorted," maintaining that they hold the "highest regard" for the Holy See and continue respectful dialogue with Vatican officials The Pentagon described recent reports of religious friction as "grossly false and distorted," maintaining that they hold the "highest regard" for the Holy See and continue respectful dialogue with Vatican officials.

The White House and the Pentagon have officially dismissed the outcry over the Protestant-only Good Friday service as "exaggerated and distorted". A Pentagon spokesperson stated that the absence of a Catholic service was due to a "personnel shortage", claiming the priest assigned to the chapel was out of town.

Anti-Catholicism in the Holy Land?

If Trump and Hegseth's actions were not enough, Israel, America's ally in the war against Iran, poured salt into the wound by banning services on Palm Sunday (a week before Easter Sunday) at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a high holy site among Catholics who believe it built on the site of Jesus resurrection.

Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa described the initial blocking of Palm Sunday services as a "grave precedent" that ignores the rights of Christians globally. Services were eventually held but only 15 clergy were allowed in. The public was barred.

On Good Friday, Pope Leo personally called the presidents of Israel and Ukraine, urging them to "uphold international and humanitarian law" and protect civilians.

During his Palm Sunday homily, the Pope issued a searing rebuke that seemed to target both Jerusalem and Washington: "Jesus does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them."

Meanwhile, Catholics in the Middle East feel uneasy: A Catholic caravan carrying aid to Gaza residents was forced to turn back; there are also reports of clergy and worshiippers being subject to intimidation and aggression; Iand, the  Rossing Center and other think tanks warn of a "surge in overt animosity" towards Christians in Jerusalem.

The refusal of the Vatican to join Trump’s "Board of Peace" for Gaza did nothing to bridge the widening gap.

Immigration Flashpoint

The tension between the Vatican and Washington has been building since Day One  of the Trump's second term.

The friction isn't just about foreign wars; it’s about how we treat the "stranger among us." Pope Leo has not held back in his critique of the administration’s immigration agenda, framing it as a direct challenge to Catholic identity.

The Pope said every Christian will be judged on how they "welcomed the foreigner."

In a bold move, the Pope explicitly linked the treatment of migrants to our foundational "pro-life" stance. He famously questioned: "Someone who says I’m against abortion but is in favor of the inhuman treatment of immigrants... I don’t know if that’s pro-life."

Filipino American Catholics are prominent at this Newark, N.J. church.

Following the ramp-up of ICE raids, the Holy Father described the current approach as "extremely disrespectful" to human dignity, noting that many targeted families have lived peacefully in the US for decades.

The Pontiff has publicly urged the administration to allow priests into ICE detention centers, expressing deep concern that some detainees are being barred from receiving the Holy Eucharist.

Views from the Edge: Flag vs. faith

For many Filipino and Vietnamese Catholics, these statements present a dilemma.
Although there a wide spectrum of beliefs among the faithful, many conservative Catholics often base their voting preference on a single issue: supporting pro-life values. Yet, seeing the Trump regime and the Vatican at such odds makes it harder to reconcile political support with spiritual obedience.

Although the majority of AAPI voters still align with the Democrats, a new Pew Research Center report reveals that about 22% of those who voted in the 2024 election and cast their ballot for Donald Trump were Catholic. That's huge. A good portion of those votes come from Filipino and Vietnamese Catholics, considered to be the most conservative Asian American constituents among the AAPI umbrella and may be the basis of the so-called "shift to the right" of AAPI voters in the 2024 elections. 

When the Pentagon claims Hegseth's Good Friday snub is just a "scheduling glitch" but invites pastors who call Catholic processions "idolatry," we know what we’re seeing. We are witnessing the rise of a version of Christianity that has no room for the universal, global nature of the Catholic Church.

The Pope’s focus on peace and migrant dignity—from the Middle East to Minneapolis —is increasingly seen as a necessary counterbalance to a world where Catholicism's holiest sites are becoming "militarized zones."

The Trump regime's apparent pivot toward a specific brand of evangelical Protestantism is causing even conservative-leaning Catholics to wonder if they still have a seat at the table.

The threat of "Avignon" interpreted as a veiled threat to the Vatican, only adds fuel to the fire during  the time of increasingly heated tension between Trump, who is leaning more and more into Christian Nationalism, and the Vatican.

And the Catholics of the Asian American community face  a decision that  is growing less and less black and white, a choice between flag and faith.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.