Trump attacks Pope over criticism of Iran war

Pope’s stance draws sharp response from U.S. president

President Donald Trump has criticized Pope Leo for opposing U.S. immigration policies and the conflict in Iran. In a post on his social media platform, the leader referred to the pontiff as “WEAK on crime and terrible for foreign policy,” later expressing to reporters that he was “not a big fan” of the Pope’s approach. The Pope has consistently opposed Trump’s military actions against Iran, describing his threat to obliterate the country’s cultural fabric as “unacceptable” and urging a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

His remarks coincided with the Pope’s 11-day journey to Africa, marking his second major international visit since taking office. In the post, Trump claimed the Pope was “weak on nuclear weapons,” hinting at Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a key reason for the war. He also suggested the pontiff’s election was driven by his American identity, implying it was a strategy to counter his presidency. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” the president remarked.

“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess,” Trump stated when questioned. He added: “He’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man who doesn’t believe in stopping crime, he’s a man who doesn’t believe we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.”

The comments sparked swift backlash from Catholics, with one expert drawing parallels to the Pope’s historical relations with fascist leaders during World War Two. Massimo Faggioli, cited by Reuters, noted: “Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly.”

The Pope has utilized multiple public speeches to condemn global conflicts and advocate for reduced tensions in the Middle East. When Trump asserted that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” during the Iran war, the pontiff responded by calling the statement “truly unacceptable.” In his Easter address, he urged people to “let those who have weapons lay them down” and “let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace,” without naming specific nations.