Donald Trump Attacks Pope Leo XIV as Weak on Crime and Foreign Policy

U.S. President Donald Trump launched a sharp public attack on Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, calling the American-born pontiff "weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy" in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, then repeating the criticism to reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Trump's remarks came in direct response to the Pope's anti-war statements, including a Saturday prayer vigil at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome where Leo XIV called on world leaders to end hostilities. The confrontation marks one of the most direct clashes between a sitting U.S. president and a reigning pope in recent memory, drawing immediate condemnation from American Catholic leaders.

Pope's peace calls sparked the presidential broadside Leo XIV, born in Chicago and elected in May 2025 as the first American pope, had delivered a forceful appeal for peace at the Vatican on Saturday, stopping short of naming specific countries or leaders. „Enough with the idolatry of the self and money! Enough with demonstrations of force! Enough war! True strength manifests itself in serving life” — Pope Leo XIV via La Libre.be The Pope had also previously described Trump's threats to destroy Iranian civilization as "unacceptable," according to reporting by Berliner Zeitung, and on Palm Sunday characterized God as rejecting the prayers of leaders with "blood-stained hands." Leo XIV has also urged world leaders to "guarantee the sovereignty" of Venezuela following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a position that drew Trump's ire. The Pope's Saturday remarks coincided with direct U.S.-Iran negotiations held in Pakistan, which failed to produce an agreement, according to stern.de. The Iran war, which began at the end of February 2026, has been a central point of tension between the Vatican and Washington throughout Leo XIV's pontificate.

Trump questions the Pope's legitimacy and praises his brother In his Truth Social post, Trump went beyond policy disagreements and questioned the very basis of Leo XIV's election, claiming the conclave chose an American pope specifically as a strategy to manage the U.S. president. „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 considers it terrible that the United States attacked Venezuela. And I don't want a Pope who criticizes the president of the United States when I am doing exactly what I was elected to do” — Donald Trump via El Mundo Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews that he is "not a big fan of Pope Leo," describing him as "a very liberal person" who "doesn't believe in stopping crime" and accused him of "playing around with a country that wants a nuclear weapon." He also suggested that without his own presence in the White House, Leo XIV would not be in the Vatican. Trump then expressed a preference for the Pope's brother, Louis, whom he described as "totally MAGA," adding: "He gets it, and Leo doesn't." Shortly after posting his written statement, Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed in a white and red toga, placing his hand on the forehead of a sick person on a hospital bed, surrounded by people in prayer, with the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, fighter jets, and eagles visible in the background.

U.S. bishops defend the Pope, Vatican stays silent Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, who has served as Archbishop of Oklahoma City since 2010 and as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops since November 2025, said he was "disappointed" by Trump's remarks, according to reporting by the Associated Press. „He is the Vicar of Christ, who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and in the interest of the care of souls” — Paul S. Coakley via Berliner Zeitung Coakley stressed that the Pope is "not his rival" and is not a politician. The Vatican did not initially comment on Trump's statements, according to Reuters. Relations between the Trump administration and the Vatican were already strained under Leo XIV's predecessor. Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025, had criticized Trump's immigration policy as far back as 2016 and publicly questioned his Christian faith. Leo XIV himself questioned Trump's migration policy prior to his election as pope in May 2025, and since taking office has maintained a posture of cautious but consistent criticism of certain U.S. policy decisions while keeping diplomatic channels open. The failed Pakistan negotiations, in which U.S. Vice President JD Vance said talks were productive but Tehran refused to commit to renouncing nuclear weapons, add a further layer of urgency to the public dispute between the White House and the Holy See over the direction of U.S. foreign policy.