Most US Catholics view Pope favorably; half think president has been too critical of him
June 20, 2026
» Continue to this story on Pew Research Center
CWN Editor's Note: A survey of 9,750 U.S. adults found that 78% of Catholics view Pope Leo favorably—down from 84% last year—and that 51% of Catholics believe that President Donald Trump has been too critical of him.
The survey, conducted between May 26 and June 1, found that Catholics who attend Mass weekly are more likely to have a favorable view of the Pope than do Catholics who attend Mass seldom or never (85% vs. 73%). Likewise, Democrats are more likely to have a favorable view of the Pope than do Republicans (84% vs. 72%). Men and women have equally favorable views of the Pope.
According to Pew surveys that date back to 1987, Pope St. John Paul II’s favorability ratings varied from 91% to 93%; Pope Benedict’s, from 67% to 83%; and Pope Francis’s, from 72% to 90%.
The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
