In a lengthy social media post, President Donald Trump described Pope Leo XIV as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” He accused the pontiff of opposing U.S. actions regarding Iran and stated he does not want a pope who believes it is acceptable for Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.
When asked by reporters whether he would apologize—following a suggestion from Bishop Robert that he do so—Trump replied, “No, I don’t because Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran. And you cannot have a nuclear Iran.” He added that Pope Leo “would not be happy with the end result” of allowing a nuclear Iran, warning of potential catastrophic consequences involving “hundreds of millions of people dead.”
Trump further remarked that he likes Pope Leo’s brother Lewis better, describing Lewis as “a big MAGA person and he’s a great guy,” and emphasized his administration’s commitment to law and order. He highlighted what he called the lowest murder rate in 125 years—since 1900—despite past challenges with criminals entering the country, and insisted there is “nothing to apologize for” because the pope is “wrong.”
In response, Pope Leo XIV told reporters aboard the papal plane that he has “no fear of the Trump administration.” He stressed that his role is not political, stating: “The message of the church, my message, the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the Peacemakers.” He added that he will not shy away from promoting peace, reconciliation, dialogue, and multilateral solutions to avoid war, noting that too many innocent people are suffering and being killed.
“I do not look at my role as being political, a politician,” Pope Leo said. “I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace… I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the gospel is meant to be abused.”
The exchange comes amid heightened tensions over Iran. Negotiations in Islamabad involving Vice President JD Vance failed to produce a lasting agreement, with nuclear issues remaining a key sticking point. President Trump has maintained that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon,” calling it a consistent red line. U.S. forces have imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and the Strait of Hormuz to increase pressure, while a temporary two-week ceasefire remains in effect.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has expressed concern over rising energy prices, which have climbed above $4 per gallon for average gas in the U.S. and seen oil exceed $100 per barrel following the collapse of talks. Iran has pointed to potential further increases in costs for American consumers if the situation escalates.
During a staged DoorDash delivery event at the White House, President Trump touted elements of his “one big beautiful bill,” particularly no tax on tips, while fielding questions on Iran. He also addressed a now-deleted Truth Social post that depicted him in a Christ-like manner, explaining that he had thought the image showed him as a doctor.
The public feud has drawn attention given that Catholics make up about 20% of the U.S. population and that Pope Leo XIV is the first American-born pope. Trump has treated the criticism similarly to other public rebukes of his policies, showing no sign of backing down on the core issue of preventing a nuclear Iran.
Talks between the two sides appear to have left some points of agreement, though nuclear capability remains unresolved, with both expressing vague openness to continued diplomacy amid the economic and geopolitical pressures. The situation also intersects with preparations for the upcoming World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, where Iran’s participation has become a point of contention, though no changes to the match schedule have been made so far.
All facts in this article are drawn directly from the public statements and reported context in the provided transcript.