Trump slams Pope Leo XIV over Iran war stance
text_fields
AI-generated fake image shared by President Donald Trump to Truth Social on Sunday shows him depicted as a Christ-like figure healing a sick person
President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Pope Leo XIV, denouncing the pontiff's position on the Iran war and branding him "terrible for foreign policy."
Speaking to reporters on Sunday evening, Trump said: "We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. … He’s a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world." He added: "I’m not a fan of Pope Leo."
The first American pope has grown increasingly outspoken on the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Last week, Leo condemned Trump's rhetoric and threats against Iranians as "truly unacceptable," following the president's warning that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" before a two-week ceasefire.
Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have invoked divine support for the war, with Hegseth citing scripture. Leo rebutted this on Palm Sunday: "Jesus is the king of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war but rejects them."
Trump's remarks echoed a Truth Social post where he called Leo "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy." He accused the pope of supporting Iran's nuclear ambitions and opposing the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January, when Leo urged respect for Venezuela's "will of the people."
"I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States," Trump said, claiming Leo's elevation was a church ploy to counter him.
Vatican spokesman Fr Antonio Spadaro responded on X: "Trump doesn’t debate Leo: he begs him to retreat into a language that he can dominate. But the Pope speaks another language, one that refuses to be reduced to the grammar of force, of security, of national interest," noting Leo's influence.
Leo has long opposed nuclear proliferation, advocating dialogue for peace. Trump's comments followed a "60 Minutes" segment where US cardinals backed the pope's war stance and past criticism of Trump's immigration policies.
Analyst Elise Ann Allen told CNN that Trump feels "threatened" by Leo's rising global profile, warning that moderate Catholic voters helped elect him twice. Leo, embarking on a 10-day Africa tour, is unlikely to reply directly. Trump later posted a Truth Social image portraying himself in a Christ-like pose amid American flags and eagles.