Jen…one of your best, if not THE best, and insightful MAGA report you have written. Hope it gains a lot of traction within and outside of social media.
Jen, this is an exceptional analysis with useful references to Catholic doctrine and the Bible. I appreciate your rational approach. I knew MAGA would be outraged. I am joyous. (He’s from Chicago. We know he’ll be great.)
MAGA Tried to Buy the Papacy—And Got Righteously Rejected
MAGA’s Vatican coup just collapsed in full view of the world.
After flooding Rome with donors, dangling a $1 billion bribe, and deploying smear campaigns against progressive cardinals, the Trump wing of American Catholicism aimed to hijack the Church. They didn’t want a spiritual leader—they wanted a culture war general in robes. What they got instead was Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago-born reformer (and dual citizen of Peru) who embodies everything Trumpism detests: humility, inclusion, and moral courage.
The contrast couldn’t be starker.
While MAGA’s preferred candidate would have gladly sanctified nationalism and bigotry, Leo XIV opened his papacy by declaring:
“We must seek together to be a missionary church… that is always open, like this piazza, to receive with open arms everyone—everyone—who needs our charity, our presence, our dialogue, and love.”
That’s not just a message—it’s a direct rebuke to the “us vs. them” poison that Trump and his clerical cronies have injected into public life.
Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Trump’s favorite cardinal, and groups like the Napa Institute threw lavish dinners, peddled influence, and tried to tilt the scales of the conclave. But even their billion-dollar blitz couldn’t stop the College of Cardinals from choosing someone committed to building bridges, not walls.
Pope Leo has been openly critical of both Trump and Vance, condemning their cruelty and their fundamental distortion of Christ’s teachings.
He amplified this stinging truth when closing his speech today:
“Help me build those bridges to unite as a single people always in peace.
MAGA did everything in its power to buy the keys to St. Peter’s. Instead, they got a pope who padlocked the door.
It’s actually interesting to me how conservative, evangelical Christianity and Catholicism have gotten entangled in politics, when Catholic doctrine is often the opposite of the evangelical beliefs.
Don’t know how to break this to you Jen, but some news stories say he grew up a White Sox fan. I’m still hoping he’ll be a good Pope though. I was wondering how annoyed MAGA was about this. How much of MAGA do you think is from a Catholic tradition though? I mean the ones who would post, I certainly know too many Catholics who voted for him, but most more or less held their nose is when they did. I always felt that the more strident ones were not from a Catholic background. I certainly could be wrong.
“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Mark 10:17–27 Is the eye of the needle getting smaller?
Thank you Jen. Great piece. You can tell by their comments many in maga are not happy. They aren't happy with anyone who doesn't put their god-king first. Their attention is entirely on Trump and his agenda. Everything and everyone is measured against them. Ironically maga may be viewed as the most anti Christian movement in American history.
Jen…one of your best, if not THE best, and insightful MAGA report you have written. Hope it gains a lot of traction within and outside of social media.
Absolutely agree 💯
100% agree.
Jen, this is an exceptional analysis with useful references to Catholic doctrine and the Bible. I appreciate your rational approach. I knew MAGA would be outraged. I am joyous. (He’s from Chicago. We know he’ll be great.)
MAGA Tried to Buy the Papacy—And Got Righteously Rejected
MAGA’s Vatican coup just collapsed in full view of the world.
After flooding Rome with donors, dangling a $1 billion bribe, and deploying smear campaigns against progressive cardinals, the Trump wing of American Catholicism aimed to hijack the Church. They didn’t want a spiritual leader—they wanted a culture war general in robes. What they got instead was Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago-born reformer (and dual citizen of Peru) who embodies everything Trumpism detests: humility, inclusion, and moral courage.
The contrast couldn’t be starker.
While MAGA’s preferred candidate would have gladly sanctified nationalism and bigotry, Leo XIV opened his papacy by declaring:
“We must seek together to be a missionary church… that is always open, like this piazza, to receive with open arms everyone—everyone—who needs our charity, our presence, our dialogue, and love.”
That’s not just a message—it’s a direct rebuke to the “us vs. them” poison that Trump and his clerical cronies have injected into public life.
Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Trump’s favorite cardinal, and groups like the Napa Institute threw lavish dinners, peddled influence, and tried to tilt the scales of the conclave. But even their billion-dollar blitz couldn’t stop the College of Cardinals from choosing someone committed to building bridges, not walls.
Pope Leo has been openly critical of both Trump and Vance, condemning their cruelty and their fundamental distortion of Christ’s teachings.
He amplified this stinging truth when closing his speech today:
“Help me build those bridges to unite as a single people always in peace.
MAGA did everything in its power to buy the keys to St. Peter’s. Instead, they got a pope who padlocked the door.
@Open Letters by Mersault
Perfectly said Jen.
It’s actually interesting to me how conservative, evangelical Christianity and Catholicism have gotten entangled in politics, when Catholic doctrine is often the opposite of the evangelical beliefs.
I am thrilled at the selection of the Pope. Maybe there is hope after all.
Don’t know how to break this to you Jen, but some news stories say he grew up a White Sox fan. I’m still hoping he’ll be a good Pope though. I was wondering how annoyed MAGA was about this. How much of MAGA do you think is from a Catholic tradition though? I mean the ones who would post, I certainly know too many Catholics who voted for him, but most more or less held their nose is when they did. I always felt that the more strident ones were not from a Catholic background. I certainly could be wrong.
I saw this sad news about him being a Sox fan after I posted. I'm going to do a correction lol.
I think most MAGA are not catholic, but they want everyone in the world to align with what they want.
“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Mark 10:17–27 Is the eye of the needle getting smaller?
Soon as I saw some X posts, I knew I had to see if you posted anything. Being a lapsed Catholic, your article still nailed it!!
Thank you Jen. Great piece. You can tell by their comments many in maga are not happy. They aren't happy with anyone who doesn't put their god-king first. Their attention is entirely on Trump and his agenda. Everything and everyone is measured against them. Ironically maga may be viewed as the most anti Christian movement in American history.