CNN commentator and New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman told CNN anchor Jake Tapper that Pope Leo XIV’s views could “lead to tensions” with President Donald Trump after a relatively calm start.

88-year-old Pope Francis passed away two weeks ago, and on Thursday the new pope was announced as Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, who took the name Pope Leo upon his ascension.

No sooner was the announcement made than MAGA supporters began lashing out over Leo’s past tweets challenging Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Haberman was a guest on Thursday’s edition of CNN’s The Lead, during which Tapper played Trump’s initial reaction to the new pope and asked whether the friendly tone will last:

TAPPER: Shortly after we learned the identity of the new Pope, President Trump on Truth Social wrote, in part, it is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, what a great honor for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It’ll be a very meaningful moment.

Then a little later, reporters asked Trump when he would meet with the Pope, and he said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They have already spoken to us. And we’ll see what happens. But again, to have the Pope from the United States of America, that’s a great honor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: What’s — what’s your take on this all?

HABERMAN: I think that Trump is trying not to be in conflict with everyone as much as he was before, even as he tries to set the terms for trade deals, and as he, you know, has this kind of imperialist view in terms of acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal, he has been much more respectful about the papacy, certainly since he went after the Pope in response to criticism, the previous pope, Pope Francis, for criticisms of Donald Trump.

This is a Pope who, at least on his Twitter feed, appeared to have been an incoming Pope, critical at least of J.D. Vance.

TAPPER: Well, let me point that out, because this is on a Twitter X post from an account under a Provost’s name back in February before he was Pope, and the post referenced a theological debate on immigration started by Vice President J.D. Vance, and the post says, the post says from the man who we think is now the Pope, J.D. Vance is wrong. Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others, unquote.

Now, since the Pope was announced, J.D. Vance wrote an effusive tweet celebrating this, but I mean, this could portend tensions in the future, I think.

HABERMAN: Absolutely. And I — and I think that, you know, we don’t know what kind of Pope this will be. Will this be a Pope who is outspoken in the mold of Pope Francis? Certainly the — the Twitter account that seems to be the incoming Pope suggests he might be, but yes, it could absolutely lead to tensions. We will see how long calm lasts.

Watch above via CNN’s The Lead.

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