The GOP's double standard on the pope and Iran war

Republicans have largely settled on a two-sided response to explain away President Donald Trump's potentially blasphemous post depicting himself as Jesus, as well as his feud with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.

Trump's now-deleted post was ill-advised, they concede. But also, the pope should stay in his lane.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday trampled all over those points — and reinforced that the Trump administration is the side blurring the lines between theology and politics, practically demanding a more direct clash with the pope.