President Donald Trump's job approval among U.S. Catholic voters rebounded to 51 percent in the latest Fox News poll, restoring him to net-positive territory despite a months-long public dispute with Pope Leo XIV.

The national survey of registered voters, conducted April 17-20 with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, found 51 percent of Catholics approving of Trump's performance while 49 percent disapproved. This marked an improvement from the prior poll of March 20-23, when approval stood at 48 percent with 52 percent disapproving. Trump's overall approval in the April poll remained underwater at 42 percent approve to 58 percent disapprove.

The rebound comes amid heightened tensions between Trump and the pontiff, the first American-born pope elected in May 2025. Disputes arose earlier this year over U.S. immigration policies and foreign affairs, but escalated sharply over the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, has repeatedly urged restraint, condemning threats against Iranian infrastructure as "truly unacceptable" and stating that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war."

On April 12, Trump fired back on Truth Social, labeling the pope "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy," while claiming Leo XIV owed his election to Trump's influence. The pope responded the next day, saying, "I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do." He added that church leaders "are not politicians" and view foreign policy differently.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended Trump, highlighting his record on religious freedoms, pro-life policies, and protections for parents' rights as evidence of strong support for Catholic Americans. Trump captured 55 percent of the Catholic vote in the 2024 election.

Separate polls show Pope Leo enjoying high favorability, including 84 percent approval among Catholics overall. Yet the Fox News data indicates no lasting erosion in Trump's Catholic support from the feud, with approval fluctuating but returning to positive levels.

The Iran conflict, involving U.S. strikes in the Strait of Hormuz and threats to power plants, remains a flashpoint. A fragile ceasefire holds as of late April, but papal critiques continue to contrast with administration assertions of divine backing for the campaign.

Catholic voters, divided by race and partisanship, have shown resilience in their views of Trump amid the controversy. White Catholics tend Republican, while Hispanic Catholics lean Democratic, but the latest numbers suggest the papal clash has not shifted the broader dynamic significantly.