Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a prominent Republican ally of Donald Trump, has broken with the president over his ongoing conflict with Pope Leo XIV, calling it a "holy war" that serves only as a distraction. Speaking on Fox News, Kennedy said he did not agree with the attacks on the pope, arguing that the dispute diverts attention from more pressing issues and is eagerly amplified by the media. The feud stems from Leo's criticism of Trump's threats toward Iran — including remarks that "a whole civilisation will die" if Iran does not lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — with Trump responding on Truth Social by calling the pope "WEAK on Crime" and accusing him of tolerating Iranian nuclear ambitions, a charge at odds with Leo's own public statements opposing nuclear weapons.