Trump Attacks Pope Leo Over Criticism of Iran War

(SeaPRwire) –   President Donald Trump launched a verbal assault on Pope Leo XIV, labeling him as “WEAK on Crime” and detrimental to “Foreign Policy.” This attack follows the Catholic leader’s recent vocal opposition to the ongoing conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

In a Sunday night post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Leo needs to get his act together as Pope, exercise Common Sense, quit pandering to the Radical Left, and concentrate on being a Great Pope rather than a Politician.” He added, “This is damaging him severely, and more crucially, it is damaging the Catholic Church!”

The President’s extensive tirade was prompted by Leo, the first pontiff born in the U.S., who last week condemned Trump’s warning to obliterate Iran’s “whole civilization” as “truly unacceptable.”

While the Pope has refrained from naming Trump directly in his critiques, the Bishop of Rome once again referenced the conflict during a prayer vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday. On April 11—coinciding with the start of failed peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan between U.S. and Iranian officials—the Pope declared, “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”

As of immediately, TIME has not received a reply from the Holy See regarding Trump’s comments.

Trump also criticized the Pope for condemning the bloodshed in the Middle East and the U.S. military operation in Venezuela earlier this year that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.

“I do not want a Pope who believes it is acceptable for Iran to possess a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump stated. “I do not want a Pope who considers it terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Nation that was flooding the United States with massive quantities of Drugs and, worse yet, emptying its prisons of murderers, drug dealers, and killers into our Country. Furthermore, I do not want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States for doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to accomplish: achieving Record Low Crime rates and building the Greatest Stock Market in History.”

The President further noted that he preferred Leo’s brother, Louis Prevost, describing him as “all MAGA.” Prevost had previously identified himself as a “MAGA type.”

Additionally, Trump made an unfounded assertion that Leo owed his position as Pope to him. “He was not on any list to become Pope, and was only placed there by the Church because he is an American, and they believed that would be the optimal approach to handle President Donald J. Trump.”

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sunday, Trump intensified his offensive, stating he was “not a big fan” of the Pope, whom he characterized as a “very liberal person.”

Trump, known for utilizing lengthy social media posts to target his critics, later shared an image that seemed to be AI-generated, portraying himself with divine abilities akin to Jesus Christ. The image depicts Trump placing a glowing hand on a sick man in bed, while onlookers—including a nurse, a soldier, and a praying woman—watch in what seems to be awe. The sky features an American flag, eagles, and apparent military formations.

The U.S. President and his Administration have invoked the Christian God to rationalize the war against Iran. When questioned a week ago about whether he believed God sanctioned the U.S. actions against Iran and its Islamic regime, Trump responded: “I do—because God is good and God desires to see people looked after.”

Conversely, the Pope has denounced the conflict and is advocating for negotiations to secure a cease-fire. “Dear brothers and sisters, national leaders certainly bear binding responsibilities,” Leo stated in his April 11 homily. “To them we cry out: Stop! The time for peace is now!”

In an April 10 social media update, the Pope wrote, “God does not bless any conflict. No disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, ever stands with those who once carried swords and now drop bombs.” Similarly, during his Palm Sunday homily in March, the Pope asserted that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”

Leo has also critiqued the Trump Administration’s immigration policies. In September, the Pope implied that backing the “inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States” contradicts being “pro-life,” a comment that led White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to counter that the Administration was “attempting to enforce our nation’s laws in the most humane manner possible.” As Trump escalated his deportation efforts—extending to the Pope’s native Chicago—the Pontiff met in October with a group of Catholics from El Paso, Texas, who were concerned that attending Mass might lead to arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Catholics constitute a significant segment of the U.S. electorate, with an AP VoteCast survey indicating that over 50% of Catholic voters backed Trump in the November 2024 election. Nevertheless, Catholic leaders have grown increasingly outspoken in their opposition to the war.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed in a statement on Sunday that he was “disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words” regarding the Pontiff.

“Pope Leo is not his rival, nor is the Pope a politician,” Coakley remarked. “He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks the truth of the Gospel and tends to the care of souls.”