DETROIT — Members of the Muslim community in southeast Michigan are expressing their support and solidarity with the Catholic Church and its leaders following disparaging comments made last week by U.S. President Donald Trump toward Pope Leo XIV.
On April 13, the Imams Council of Michigan issued a press release condemning the remarks, which it said were “widely perceived as disrespectful toward religious leadership,” and said it stands in support of Catholics worldwide.
“As Muslims, we uphold the sanctity of religious symbols and deeply value the role of principled religious leadership in promoting justice, dignity, and peace,” the imams’ statement said. “Such remarks are not only offensive to Catholics worldwide, but also troubling to Muslims and all people of faith who believe in honoring sacred institutions and those who serve them.
“In this spirit, we also acknowledge and appreciate the moral leadership of Pope Leo XIV, who has consistently called for justice, peace, and the protection of civilians, including in Palestine, and has emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian responsibility and an end to violence and suffering,” the statement continued.
On April 12, Trump posted a lengthy and personal criticism of Pope Leo on social media in response to the pope’s repeated calls for peace, including multiple personal comments disparaging the pope. The post was followed less than an hour later by a now-deleted AI image of Trump depicted as Jesus.
In the week since, bishops and faith leaders around the world have rallied to the pope’s defense.
Pope Leo himself has responded to Trump’s criticism, saying he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and has no interest in a political debate, but rather will continue “speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel.”
The imams’ statement joined similar statements from local Catholic leaders and others reiterating a call for peace, dialogue and respect, and praying for “unity, justice, and lasting peace.”
“The Imams Council of Michigan stands shoulder to shoulder with our Catholic neighbors in condemning and rejecting all forms of disrespect toward religious leadership and sacred symbols,” it said. “We call upon all people of faith and conscience to uphold dignity, mutual respect, and principled dialogue, especially in times of tension.”
