Pope Leo XIV says he is not afraid of Trump in the Iran war dispute – National
US-born Pope Leo XIV pushed back on Monday from President Donald Trump’s broadside against him over the US-Israeli war in Iran, telling reporters that the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation are based on the Gospel, and that he does not fear the Trump administration.
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president tried to do here, I think I don’t understand what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo told the Associated Press aboard the papal plane to Algeria. “And I’m sorry to hear that but I will continue what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.”
The first US-born pope in history insisted he was not directly attacking Trump or anyone else in his usual appeal for peace and condemnation of the “illusion of omnipotence” fueling the Iran war and other conflicts around the world.
“I will not enter into a debate. The things I say are not intended to attack anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peaceful,'” said Leo.
“I will not stop proclaiming the Gospel message and invite all people to look for ways to build bridges of peace and reconciliation, look for ways to avoid war whenever possible.”
Speaking to other journalists, he added: “I am not afraid of the Trump administration or speaking out loud about the Gospel message, which is the work the Church is doing.”
“We are not politicians, we do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective that you may have,” said the Pope, adding that, “I will continue to speak out against war, I am trying to promote peace, promote dialogue and international cooperation to find solutions to problems.
“There are too many people suffering today, too many innocent people have been killed, and I believe that someone must stand up and say that there is a better way,” he said.
Trump says Leo ‘not doing a very good job’
Trump launched a wide-ranging tirade against Leo on Sunday night, saying he didn’t think the US-born world leader of the Catholic Church was “doing a great job” and that he was “a liberal,” while also suggesting the pope should “stop working for the Radical Left.”
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Flying into Washington from Florida, Trump used a lengthy social media post to criticize Leo, then reserved it after explaining, in a tardy comment to reporters.
“I’m not a fan of Papa Leo,” he said.
Trump’s comments come after Leo suggested over the weekend that the “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the US-Israel war on Iran. While it’s common for popes and presidents to be at odds, it’s rare for a pope to directly criticize an American leader — and Trump’s scathing response is just as unusual, if not more so.
“Pope Leo is TIRED OF CRIME, and very bad at Foreign Policy,” the president wrote in his letter, adding, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”
Italian politicians across the spectrum have shown their solidarity with Leo. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sent a message of support for her campaign for peace while the leader of the opposition, Elly Schlein, was more specific, calling Trump’s attack “very bad.”
Trump echoed that sentiment in comments to reporters, saying, “We don’t like a pope who says it’s okay to have a nuclear weapon.”
Later, Trump posted a photo suggesting that he has saint-like powers similar to those of Jesus Christ. Dressed in a bible-style robe, Trump is seen laying hands on a man lying on a bed as light shines from his fingers, while a soldier, a nurse, a prayer man and a bearded man in a baseball cap all look on in awe. The sky above is filled with eagles, the American flag and steaming statues.
Leo’s opposition to the war angered Trump
All that happened after Leo presided over the evening prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face talks in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire, with Vice President JD Vance leading the US delegation. Vance is Catholic and recently released a book about his faith.
During his evening prayer, the pope did not mention the United States or Trump by name, but his tone and message were directed at Trump and American officials who boasted about the superiority of the US military and justified the war on religious grounds.
Leo, who is on an 11-day trip to Africa starting Monday – has said that God “doesn’t listen to the prayers of those who fight, but rejects them.” He also referred to an Old Testament passage from Isaiah, which says “even if you make many prayers, I will not listen – your hands are full of blood.”
Before the ceasefire, when Trump warned of more strikes against Iran’s power plants and other infrastructure and that “the whole civilization is going to die tonight,” Leo described such sentiments as “absolutely unacceptable.”
In his tweet on Sunday night, however, Trump went beyond the Iran war by criticizing Leo.
The president wrote, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s bad for America to attack Venezuela, a country that used to send a lot of drugs to the United States.” That was in reference to the Trump administration toppling Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.
“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I did what I was elected to do, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do,” added Trump, talking about his victory in the 2024 election.
He also suggested in the post that Leo only got his position “because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”
“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote, adding, “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop looking at the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It hurts him a lot and, most importantly, it hurts the Catholic Church!”
In his next remarks to reporters, Trump continued to be more critical, saying of Leo, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He loves crime, I think” and adding, “He’s a very liberal person.”
The bishops say that the pope is not a politician
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement saying he was “dismayed” by Trump’s words.
“Pope Leo is not his rival; and the Pope is not a politician. He is a Vicar of Christ who speaks the truth of the Gospel and the care of souls,” said Coakley.
The Italian Bishops’ Conference expressed regret for Trump’s words, and stressed that the pope “is not a political colleague, but a follower of Peter, called to serve the Gospel, truth and peace.”
In the 2024 election, Trump won 55 percent of Catholic voters, according to AP VoteCast, a comprehensive poll of voters. But the Trump administration also has close ties to evangelical Protestant leaders who have sought divine approval for the Iran war.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged the American people to pray for victory “in the name of Jesus Christ.” And, when Trump was asked if he thought God approved of war, he said, “I do, because God is good — because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of.”
