Pope Leo XIV waves to the group from the popemobile after the Easter Mass as a part of the Holy Week celebrations, at St Peter’s sq. within the Vatican on April 5, 2026.
Alberto Pizzoli | Afp | Getty Photographs
President Donald Trump on Sunday bashed Pope Leo XIV over the U.S.-born Roman Catholic pontiff’s criticism of the U.S. conflict in Iran.
The president stated he doesn’t “desire a Pope who criticizes the President of america as a result of I’m doing precisely what I used to be elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do,” in a Fact Social publish.
Trump linked the pope’s ascension to his return to workplace as president.
“Leo ought to be grateful as a result of, as everybody is aware of, he was a surprising shock,” Trump stated. “He wasn’t on any checklist to be Pope, and was solely put there by the Church as a result of he was an American, they usually thought that might be one of the best ways to cope with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t within the White Home, Leo would not be within the Vatican.”
Trump stated Leo is “Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, doesn’t sit nicely with me, nor does the truth that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who’s a type of who needed churchgoers and clerics to be arrested,” referring to a latest assembly between the pope and President Barack Obama’s former political aide.
Leo, the primary U.S.-born pope who hails from Chicago, has condemned Trump’s conflict effort with Iran.
“Sufficient with the idolatry of self and cash! Sufficient with the show of drive! Sufficient with conflict! True power is manifested in serving life,” Leo stated on Saturday, in accordance with CBS Information.
The pontiff additionally stated it was “really unacceptable” for Trump to make a latest risk that he would destroy “a complete civilization” in Iran.
Leo additionally used his Easter message to name for peace.
“Let those that have weapons lay them down! Let those that have the facility to unleash wars select peace! Not a peace imposed by drive, however by dialogue! Not with the need to dominate others, however to come across them!” he stated.
Leo and different church leaders have additionally at instances been sharply crucial of Trump’s home immigration insurance policies.
The pontiff endorsed a November message from the United States Convention of Catholic Bishops who stated they’re “disturbed after we see amongst our individuals a local weather of worry and nervousness round questions of profiling and immigration enforcement.”
“We bishops advocate for a significant reform of our nation’s immigration legal guidelines and procedures,” the bishops wrote. “Human dignity and nationwide safety aren’t in battle. Each are attainable if individuals of fine will work collectively.”