April 13, 2026
Tensions Over the War Against Iran: The U.S. president accused the pontiff of being “terrible at foreign policy” and of favoring “the radical left.” Leo XIV replied that he would seek “ways to avoid war whenever possible.”
Amid the failed peace negotiations with Iran,U.S. President Donald Trump decided to publicly clash with Pope Leo XIV, whom he asked to “focus on being a great pope, not a politician,” following his messages in favor of peace in the Middle East and previous remarks regarding military intervention in Venezuela. “I will continue with what I consider to be the Church’s mission in the world,” the Pope replied.
Trump took aim at Pope Leo XIV with a post on his Truth Social platform, describing him as a pontiff who is “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy” and accusing him of favoring “the radical left.” The U.S. president’s message was laced with anger over the Vatican’s statements regarding military intervention in Venezuela and the war with Iran.
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that the United States attacked Venezuela,” wrote Trump, who justified the military actions by saying he is doing “exactly what I was elected to do,” despite the popular backlash the president has faced in recent months.
Trump once again displayed his personal resentment at not receiving Leo XIV’s support, pointing out that he was elected because he is American and that he should “be grateful” for that, and lamented that the Pope was not like his brother Louis Martin Prevost, a Navy veteran living in Florida who openly supports Trump. “He gets it, and Leo doesn’t,” Trump complained.
Trump as Jesus, posted on his Truth Social
Trump’s post was published this Sunday after peace agreement negotiations with Iran in Pakistan failed. Pope Leo XIV had said on Saturday, without referring to the negotiations, that the use of force should be set aside in favor of peace. The U.S. president not only criticized the pontiff but also posted an AI-generated image of himself depicting him as Jesus.
The Pope’s Response
Leo XIV’s response came on Monday morning when he arrived in Algeria to begin a tour of Africa. “The things I say are not meant to be understood as an attack on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’” said the pontiff to tone down the rhetoric and maintain his position.
The Pope distanced himself from Trump’s political gamesmanship in responding to his accusations: “We are not politicians; we do not deal with international politics from the same perspective that he (Trump) may have. I believe in the message of the Gospel, which is that of building peace.”
Leo XIV assured that he has no “fear” regarding the position the White House might take in response to his messages and insisted that he will not “cease to proclaim the Gospel message, to invite all people to seek ways to build bridges toward peace and reconciliation” and that he will seek “ways to avoid war whenever possible.”
“To equate my message with what the president has tried to do here is to fail to understand what the Gospel message consists of,” the pontiff concluded his message in response to Trump’s criticism.
Europe with the Pope
Trump’s attack on the Pope once again distanced the U.S. president from his European allies, with whom he has been at odds over his decision not to get involved in the attack he launched alongside Israel against Iran. Right-wing allies such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spain’s People’s Party came out in defense of the Pope, as did the European Union.
“Italy will continue to contribute to building a new model of cooperation with the African continent and supporting peace, development, and the well-being of its peoples,” Meloni wrote on Monday. The Italian prime minister’s message avoided mentioning the clash with Trump and referred to the Pope’s upcoming trip to Africa, but it resonated as strong support.
“May the Holy Father’s ministry foster conflict resolution and the return of peace, both internally and among nations, following the path laid out by his predecessors, and offer support and comfort to the Christian communities he will encounter during his journey,” Meloni stated.
For his part, the European Union’s ambassador to the Holy See, Martin Selmayr, did call for respect for the pope and the institution he represents and considered that Leo XIV’s calls for peace are more important than ever.
“The Pope is a unique institution, with 2,000 years of history, which above all demands respect, whether one is Catholic or not, whether we agree on every point or not,” Selmayr stated in a message on his social media account X, in reference to Trump’s criticism.
Meanwhile, in Spain, where the government of Socialist Pedro Sánchez is a staunch opponent of military intervention in Iran, the leader of the opposition Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, had no choice but to speak out against Trump and call for respect for the figure of Leo XIV.
Source: Pagina 12 translation Resumen Latinoamericano – English