Tillis says Trump should apologize to pope: 'When you’re wrong, you’re wrong'
Tillis urged Trump to apologize to Pope Leo XIV and said he accepted Trump’s explanation for a deleted image.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Nexstar Media Wire, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
Nexstar Media Wire is a news publisher, and the article identifies The Hill as its source. The attribution indicates the reporting was reproduced rather than reported independently here.
- Source type — A news wire serving local outlets, rather than an opinion or advocacy source.
- Transparency — The article identifies The Hill as the source but provides limited information about its own editorial and correction practices.
- Author attribution — A named author is listed.
- Track record — The text provides limited basis to assess the publisher’s record of original reporting.
The report attributes Tillis’s comments to an NBC News interview and includes relevant statements from Trump and the pope. It provides useful context about their disagreements, though the account relies mainly on public remarks and offers limited additional sourcing or perspectives.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article presents Tillis’s view alongside Trump’s remarks and explanation and includes the pope’s position. It offers less direct detail from Trump than from Tillis, but remains largely a factual account of the dispute.
- Counterarguments presented — Reports Trump’s refusal to apologize and his explanation of the image.
- Source diversity — Includes statements attributed to Tillis, Trump, and Pope Leo XIV.
- Loaded language — Uses little loaded narration; contentious descriptions are attributed to speakers.
- Omitted context — Provides context for the dispute but limited detail about Trump’s own response beyond the remarks reported.
The article reports Tillis’s criticism and Trump’s response and statements in straightforward, attributed language. Its framing does not clearly favor a political side.
- Language tone — Mostly neutral wording, with evaluative descriptions presented as attributed statements.
- Source selection — Includes remarks from Tillis, Trump, and the pope, though Tillis’s interview is the central source.
- Framing — Frames the story around Tillis’s call for an apology without endorsing it.
Republished with credit
Republished from The Hill, with credit to the original publisher.
331 stories · 77.5–78.1 · updated Oct 10, 2026
This is The Hill's own score, and this article is credited to The Hill. The host score in the Source Check is Nexstar Media Wire's.
Sen. Thom Tillis said President Donald Trump should apologize to Pope Leo XIV for his remarks about the pope. Tillis also said he accepted Trump’s explanation for a since-deleted image portraying Trump as Christ-like.
Tillis told NBC News that Trump should apologize for comments describing the pope as weak on crime and the border, saying, “when you’re wrong, you’re wrong.” Tillis added that Trump has done many positive things and said he would take at face value Trump’s explanation that he thought a since-deleted AI-generated image showed him as a doctor. Trump had previously declined to apologize for his rhetoric.
The article describes disagreements between Trump and Leo over U.S. actions abroad, including the Iran conflict and the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Leo urged peace and dialogue and told reporters that the two leaders could “live in peace together.”
Community verdict
12 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →President criticized by Tillis for remarks about the pope
Trump's version of this story ↗Part of a bigger story
4 OUTLETSSen. Tillis said Trump should apologize to Pope Leo over his remarks about the pope. Outlets on both sides report Tillis’s call for an apology. Center outlets present it as a specific Republican disagreement and add context such as other reactions or Tillis’s response to a deleted image. Right-leaning outlets emphasize Tillis’s view that the pope should be treated as a religious leader rather than a political opponent.
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