Bill Maher Not Picking Sides In 'Full-on Rap War' Between Donald Trump and Pope Leo

Bill Maher is treating the escalating feud between Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV less like a geopolitical dispute and more like a pop culture spectacle.

On April 17’s Real Time With Bill Maher, the comedian zeroed in on the increasingly bizarre back-and-forth, joking that the clash has turned into a “full-on rap war” between the president and the pontiff. For Maher, it’s just the latest, though perhaps strangest, example of Trump’s tendency to pick a fight with anyone.

Maher opened by rattling through Trump’s recent conflicts before landing on the pope as his newest sparring partner.

“So we have a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. We have a ceasefire between Trump and Iran,” Maher quipped. “And fingers crossed, we might even have one between Trump and the pope.”

The feud intensified after Pope Leo criticized wars of aggression and advocated for immigrants, prompting Trump to fire back in a lengthy Truth Social post calling the pope “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.”

“Yeah, because he’s not a detective in Detroit,” Maher joked. “Popes don’t fight crime.”

The clash has been building for months, but boiled over following a 60 Minutes segment amplifying the pope’s criticism of the war against Iran. Trump responded with a lengthy social media rant, even suggesting the Chicago-born pope wouldn’t have been elected if he weren’t in office.

Leo said he “has no fear” of the administration and vowed to continue speaking out, warning that the world is “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants” and condemning leaders who “manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain.”

Trump later attempted to walk back, telling reporters he was “not fighting” the pope, just “disagreeing.”

“I love hypocritical America,” Maher said. “Liberals suddenly love the pope.”

He pointed out that Leo’s positions on issues like gay marriage and women in the priesthood haven’t exactly aligned with progressive values, yet the feud with Trump has shifted public perception.

“He’s a guy who does exorcisms, doesn’t believe in gay marriage, no women priests,” Maher said. “But now, because he’s feuding with Trump, MSNBC loves this guy.”

“I don’t know who to vote for in this one,” he joked. “I really don’t.”

The feud has already stirred tension among Trump’s base, particularly Catholic supporters, and added another layer to an already chaotic political moment.

For Maher, though, the takeaway is simpler: “Trump — he’s always going to Trump.”