President Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV in an unusual and direct attack on the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, intensifying tensions between the White House and the Vatican.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the pope as “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy”, comments that drew immediate reactions from religious leaders and Catholic communities. These remarks appear to be a response to the pontiff’s recent criticisms of American policies, particularly regarding the Iranian conflict and immigration.
Pope Leo XIV, the first non-American pope, has increasingly spoken out against war, condemning what he called the “madness of war” and urging world leaders to seek diplomatic solutions. He has also questioned whether strict immigration policies are in line with Christian teachings.
Trump stated on Truth Social: “Pope Leo is weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy. He talks about the ‘fear’ of the Trump administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian organizations, had during COVID when they were keeping priests, ministers, and everyone else, to hold religious services, even going outside, and being ten or even twenty feet apart. I like his brother Louis much more than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!”
[Context: Trump made critical comments about Pope Leo XIV on his Truth Social platform, escalating tensions between the White House and the Vatican.] [Fact Check: Pope Leo XIV is actually Pope Francis, as there is no Pope Leo XIV in the history of the Catholic Church.]
