Trump Critiques Pope Leo XIV

On Sunday, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to express his criticisms of Pope Leo XIV, particularly in light of the recent conflicts in the Middle East. Trump labeled the Pope as “weak on crime” and “terrible” in terms of foreign policy.

“He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump administration, but he doesn’t mention the fear that the Catholic Church and other Christian organizations faced during COVID-19 when they arrested priests and pastors for conducting services—even when they were out in the open or spaced apart,” Trump stated. He added, “I like his brother Louis a lot more than me because Louis is totally MAGA. He understands, but Leo just doesn’t!”

Trump continued, expressing his discontent with the Pope’s stance on various issues. “I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s acceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons,” he stated. He went on to criticize the Pope for condemning U.S. actions against Venezuela, a country he pointed out is associated with drug trafficking and the release of prisoners into the U.S.

He claimed that the Pope “was a shocking surprise” and noted that, “he wasn’t on any list of candidates.” According to Trump, Leo’s appointment was an attempt by the Church to address the dynamics related to his presidency. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” he remarked.

Expressing further dissatisfaction, Trump mentioned, “Unfortunately, I don’t like that Leo is lenient on crime and not strong enough on nuclear issues. He’s got to get his act together as Pope, stop pandering to the radical left, and focus on being a great Pope.” He concluded by expressing concern that Leo’s approach is detrimental to both himself and the Catholic Church overall.