'Two Communists': Trump Ally Rep. Claudia Tenney Slams Pope Francis for Meeting With Pelosi

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) has dubbed both Pope Francis and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) "communists."

Tenney, an outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump, made the remark in a tweet on Sunday. The Republican congresswoman was offering her caption to a picture of Pelosi during a recent meeting with the pope at the Vatican.

"Just two communists," tweeted Tenney.

Tenney continued to suggest that Pope Francis is a communist while responding to a Twitter reply that noted she had been elected to Congress in 2020 by "100 votes" and pondered how many of the voters were Catholic.

"So, when Pope Francis visited Cuba in 2015, he only met with the Communist dictator, not the so called dissidents," tweeted Tenney.

Tenney was elected to a non-consecutive second House term last year, defeating Democrat Anthony Brindisi by only 109 votes despite her congressional district supporting Trump by a much wider margin.

Although it is not clear how many of Tenney's 2020 voters were Catholic, 31 percent of New York state residents practice the faith, according to Pew Research Center.

Tenney doubled down on her claim that the pope is a communist on Monday, tweeting a link to an article that asserted "Pope Francis Trumpets Socialism Over Capitalism."

She also expressed support for former Pope John Paul II, who died in 2005, in response to a comment from a Twitter user who called her an "anti-Catholic congressperson."

"Lol. I love Pope John Paul II," tweeted Tenney. "A kind and truly holy person. He didn't slap the hands of followers."

Francis, who was made a cardinal by John Paul II in 2001, became pope in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

Pelosi, who is Catholic, met with the pope on Saturday. On the same day, she issued a statement saying that it "was a spiritual, personal and official honor to have an audience with His Holiness Pope Francis this morning."

The Democratic speaker and President Joe Biden, the second-ever Catholic U.S. president, have both come under fire from some conservative Catholic clergy members who recently suggested that they should be denied communion for their views on abortion.

Pelosi supports abortion rights. Biden has said that he is personally opposed to the procedure but supports abortion rights on the basis that he does not believe he has the right to impose his religious views on others.

Francis has reiterated the church's categorical opposition to abortion on numerous occasions. He has not offered support for the calls to deny the Democrats communion and recently spoke out against taking "political sides."

Tenney will likely have an opportunity to comment on photographs of Biden alongside Pope Francis later this month. The president is set to meet with the pontiff during a trip to Rome on October 30 and 31.

Newsweek reached out to the Vatican and the office of Pelosi for comment.