‘I pray they come together’ - Americans react to Trump’s feud with Pope Leo

Americans are reacting to President Donald Trump’s escalating feud with Pope Leo XIV and the backlash surrounding an AI-generated image depicting the president as a Jesus-like figure, which has since been deleted.

Trump on Monday posted a lengthy Truth Social message attacking the pontiff, who has been a vocal critic of the US and Israeli military operations in Iran. Hours later, the president posted the image showing him appearing to heal a sick man in a hospital bed.

The BBC spoke to Americans at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC about the row.

Video filmed by Meiying Wu and edited by Blanca Estrada