30% of US Catholics Back Trump as Bishops Regret White House Visit

Only 30% of US Catholics approved of President Donald Trump’s job performance in a survey released this month, a sharp decline from the 47% who backed him when he took office in 2025. The new data from the Pew Research Center lands just days before the 3 November midterm elections, where control of Congress is at stake.

The drop in support coincides with a public apology from two US Catholic bishops who met with Trump at the White House on 22 October. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and Des Moines Bishop William Joensen expressed regret after photos and video of the meeting were released online. The media showed the religious leaders standing around the president at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

Bishop Joensen stated that White House Faith Office officials arranged the meeting to discuss immigration, clergy visas, and the protection of vulnerable populations. He insisted that no one intended to endorse a political party or candidate. "I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes," Joensen wrote in an online statement.

Archbishop Grob said he believed the session was private and not a political photo opportunity. He noted that the group spent 90 minutes with officials before entering the Oval Office to pray. Grob said he later received messages from concerned congregants who felt he had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before the election.

The visual record of the meeting was posted by Margo Martin, a special assistant to the president and communications adviser. Grob stated that none of the participants gave permission for the public distribution of the images or video. The White House did not directly address the bishops’ comments regarding the lack of permission.

White House Spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended the president’s standing with religious voters. "There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it," Rogers said. The administration maintains a contentious relationship with Pope Leo XIV, particularly over aggressive immigration enforcement measures.

Pew data shows a slight Democratic edge among Catholic voters in local House races. Forty-two percent of US Catholics said they preferred their local Democratic candidate, compared to 39 percent who favored the Republican. The survey indicates that opinions of Trump’s performance have slipped among all major religious groups in the country.