Fox blasts CBS claims ‘60 minutes’ tried to trigger Trump Pope war of words
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Conservative voices on Fox News accused CBS of deliberately setting the stage for a confrontation between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV, arguing that a recent '60 Minutes' segment was crafted to provoke a reaction from the president.
Anchor Laura Ingraham and contributor Raymond Arroyo decoded how the program framed church commentary and whether it played a role in escalating tensions between Trump and the Pope.
🚨 NEW: Fox News calls out CBS ‘60 Minutes’ for “intentionally creating” war-of-words between President Trump and Pope:
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) April 14, 2026
Laura Ingraham: “You think this was intentionally created by the media?”
Raymond Arroyo: “Well yeah, CBS 60 Minutes featured three left-of-center cardinals.… pic.twitter.com/wWYH9CwWNk
'Pope-a-doping': Fox panel slams CBS' provocation
During a discussion, Laura Ingraham and commentator Raymond Arroyo directly accused CBS of engineering the situation.
Arroyo pointed to the 60 Minutes segment hosted by Norah O'Donnell, which featured three Catholic cardinals critical of US policies.
“Last night on 60 Minutes, Nora O'Donnell featured three left-of-center cardinals,” Arroyo said, adding that the figures criticized immigration enforcement, the Iran war, and the Trump administration more broadly.
He further suggested that the broadcast may have been strategically timed and framed to draw a response from Trump.
Top U.S. cardinals tell 60 Minutes how they see this moment in America. https://t.co/xA2lnnj4vQ pic.twitter.com/cwgpV8FWey
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 13, 2026
“Clearly the president was watching this. Nora O'Donnell has now even confirmed, he was watching,” Arroyo said.
Drawing a metaphor, he added: “You’ve heard of rope-a-doping, well this was pope-a-doping.”
Arroyo also questioned the broader intent behind the segment, saying, “It feels like they were trying to provoke the president into a reaction,” and claimed the featured cardinals “represent absolutely nobody but themselves.”
Ingraham echoed skepticism about the lineup featured in the program, remarking, “Yeah, well, those were red cardinals there, For sure.”
Pope Leo says he has "no fear of the Trump administration" after he was asked about President Trump's Truth Social post calling the pontiff "weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy."
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 13, 2026
"We are not politicians, we don't deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he… pic.twitter.com/37LCeprhUc
Trump-Vatican tensions deepen
The controversy follows a 60 Minutes report focusing on the leadership of Pope Leo XIV and the Catholic Church’s position on key global issues.
Introducing the segment, O’Donnell described the pope as “measured, deliberate and soft-spoken,” while noting that he has become “increasingly outspoken against certain policies of the American president.”
During the broadcast, one of the featured voices, Cardinal McElroy, addressed the ongoing conflict with Iran, stating, “No, in the Catholic teaching this is not a just war,” and emphasized that such conflicts must meet strict moral criteria centered on restoring justice and peace.
"I'm not a fan of Pope Leo."
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 13, 2026
President Trump rips into Pope Leo for being “very liberal" and accusing him of catering to the left after speaking out against the war in Iran.
But the pope isn't backing down, telling reporters his push for peace comes from the Gospel, not… pic.twitter.com/6ZSIp6Guj9
The segment aired amid already heightened tensions between Trump and the Vatican.
Trump has publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV, saying he is “not a big fan” and describing the pontiff as “very liberal,” while also accusing him of being weak on crime and foreign policy.
In response, Pope Leo XIV has framed his role as non-political, emphasizing that his position is rooted in spiritual leadership rather than partisan debate.
