When asked about the dispute, Leo refrained from criticism. Instead, he pointed to Durbin’s decades of service in the Senate and challenged narrow definitions of what it means to be “pro-life.” He argued that rejecting abortion while defending the death penalty, or tolerating harsh treatment of immigrants, contradicts the broader principle of human dignity.
His remarks drew sharp rebukes. Conservative Catholics branded the response as “irrelevant” or “confusing.” Commentator Matt Walsh called it “a terrible answer,” while Trump ally Jack Posobiec dismissed Leo with the line: “Some popes are a blessing. Some popes are a penance.” Retired Bishop Joseph Strickland said Leo’s words had only deepened uncertainty.
The very next day, Pope Leo reignited controversy by speaking at a climate conference in Castel Gandolfo. Marking the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, he blessed ice samples and urged urgent action against climate change. Combined with his recent private meeting with Fr. James Martin, his criticism of arms proliferation after a Minnesota school shooting, and his swipe at excessive CEO salaries—including Elon Musk’s—his agenda is beginning to look decidedly unwelcome to Trump-aligned Catholics.
Observers have asked whether Leo, the first American pope, is consciously positioning himself against the Trump administration. In recent remarks, he even called a speech by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “worrying.” Yet Vatican watchers note that Leo’s goal isn’t to be “anti-Trump,” but to present a consistent moral vision.
For Leo, that means defending life across a wide spectrum: from opposing abortion to protecting immigrants, challenging the death penalty, and urging care for creation. “Being pro-life means respecting human dignity in all its forms,” one Vatican insider explained.
Biographer Elise Ann Allen, author of Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the XXI Century, describes the pontiff as seeking dialogue, not confrontation. “He wants to be a bridge-builder,” she said, noting his reluctance to fuel culture wars even as he firmly outlines where the Church stands.
Still, the disappointment among conservative Catholics is clear. Many had hoped Leo’s decision to revive traditional garments like the red mozzetta cape was a sign of a sharp break from Francis. Instead, he appears determined to continue in the spirit of his predecessor: resisting polarization, insisting on nuance, and refusing to treat complex moral questions as partisan battlegrounds.
As Leo himself put it when asked about the Durbin controversy: “These are very complex issues. I don’t think anyone holds all the truth on them.”