Donald Trump takes on The Pope

In this episode of Trump100, hosts David Blevins and Mark Stone dissect a whirlwind day in Washington, D.C., dominated by Donald Trump’s controversial online persona and escalating tensions with global figures. The episode opens with Trump’s late-night post on Truth Social depicting himself as a messianic Jesus, an AI-generated image that sparked international outrage and prompted swift deletion. This was followed by a public feud with Pope Leo, an American-born pontiff whose peace-focused rhetoric—particularly his condemnation of war and call for nonviolence—appeared to provoke Trump’s ire. The president publicly criticized the Pope as weak on crime and foreign policy, refusing to apologize despite the religious and diplomatic fallout. Meanwhile, Trump’s staged delivery of McDonald’s by a DoorDash grandmother from Arkansas served as a calculated PR moment, highlighting his 'America First' image and the economic benefits of his no-tax-on-tips policy. The episode also covers Trump’s sudden shift in Iran policy, moving from indifference to imposing a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a move that risks global energy prices and has drawn defiance from Tehran. Adding to the drama, a Florida judge dismissed Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a sketch allegedly drawn by Trump in Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday book, though the White House vows to continue fighting 'fake news.' Despite the chaos, the hosts reveal that many conservative American Catholics remain loyal to Trump, viewing his provocations as political theater rather than blasphemy.