America’s Most Beloved Leader? Pope Leo Beats Trump by 62 Points

A moral authority in a divided age, Pope Leo rises above partisan warfare.

Pope Leo enjoys a +46 favorability margin among Americans. In contrast, Donald Trump is underwater by 16 points.

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Gallup’s July survey reads like America’s vitals report — and against all odds, the patient’s still breathing.

Among fourteen names — from world leaders to tech tycoons — Pope Leo wasn’t just ahead; he left everyone else in the dust.

Fifty‑seven percent of Americans viewed him favorably, against 11% unfavorably, yielding a +46 net favorability. That’s 62 points higher than Donald Trump’s net rating, which sits at ‑16. It’s not even close.

The poll highlights a stark gap: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (+18) and Senator Bernie Sanders (+11) are the only other figures above water.

Everyone else — from Emmanuel Macron to Elon Musk — is viewed more negatively than positively, with Musk plunging to a ‑28 net rating.

Trump allies like Marco Rubio and JD Vance also suffer deep negatives.

In that bleak landscape, Leo’s positive margin isn’t just a victory for him; it underscores how desperate Americans are for leadership that transcends partisan warfare.

In fact, he is the only figure viewed favorably by all major political groups.

Leo’s numbers mirror the initial splash of his predecessors.

Pope Leo has similar numbers out of the gate to Francis and Benedict. The one difference? Democrats like him more than Republicans.

Pope Francis debuted at 58% favorable, Benedict at 55%.

Yet Leo differs in one crucial respect: he’s more popular with Democrats and liberals than with Republicans and conservatives.

Early Gallup soundings reported 65% of liberals viewing him favorably versus 46% of conservatives.

That’s the inverse of Francis and Benedict, who initially drew higher support from the right.

Francis’s conservative support collapsed over time because of his outspoken stance on immigration and climate; by Gallup’s final reading in 2023, liberals liked him far more than conservatives.

Leo may be heading down the same road. The AP‑NORC poll from June already showed more Democrats than Republicans warming to him.

This shouldn’t surprise anyone who has watched Leo’s short papacy.

Leo is the only major figure with a net favorability among all political groups.

He has embraced Francis’s themes — welcoming migrants, confronting global poverty — while layering on his own critiques of American-fueled nationalism.

That message often resonates with progressives and younger Catholics but unnerves a Republican base conditioned to see the Church through a culture‑war lens.

It’s telling that his 57% favourability also dwarfs President Biden’s 43% and Senator JD Vance’s 38%. Americans, regardless of party, are leaning toward moral authority over political brand.

For Leo, the challenge now is sustaining that cross‑party appeal.

Francis began in 2013 with similar numbers but lost conservative goodwill when he refused to play by the rules of U.S. partisanship. Leo’s early lead over Trump — 62 points in net favourability — is a testament to his ability to rise above the fray.

Whether he can hold that lead will depend on whether Americans are ready to follow a leader who refuses to be boxed in by red and blue.

Thank you for reading!

I’ve got a full-time day job, so I can only continue to do this work with your generosity. If you find value in my work, please become a paid subscriber today.

Subscriptions start at just $6.67/month, and include full access to:

• My ongoing series on Faith and the Democratic Party

• The multi-part deep dive into Pope Leo’s life and formation

The latest installments:

• Part IV explores Pope Leo’s 20-year friendship with Pope Francis.

• Part V profiles his closest cardinal confidant, Luis Antonio Tagle.

Thank you again for your continued support!

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