President Donald Trump publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV during a lengthy post on Truth Social and in remarks to journalists on Sunday night, describing the Pope as “weak” and “terrible” on important issues.
“Pope Leo is weak on crime and poor on foreign policy. He talks about fearing the Trump administration, but fails to acknowledge the fear that the Catholic Church and other Christian groups have felt during COVID-19. They even arrested priests, pastors, and others for holding church services in their homes, often with social distancing,” Trump began.
He continued, “I prefer his brother Louis, who is fully MAGA. Louis gets it, but Leo? Not so much! I don’t want a pope who thinks allowing Iran to have nuclear weapons is acceptable. And I certainly don’t want a pope lamenting the U.S. attacking Venezuela, especially considering that Venezuela has been a major contributor to drugs entering our country and releasing dangerous criminals.”
Trump asserted, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the president of the United States when I’m achieving record lows in crime and overseeing the strongest stock market in history.”
“Leo should be thankful. He wasn’t even on the list of candidates for the papacy, and he only signed up because he thought being the American pope would help him deal with me. If I weren’t in office, he wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump claimed, adding, “He’s soft on crime and weak on nuclear issues, meeting with individuals like Obama sympathizer David Axelrod, who wanted to arrest churchgoers and clergy.” He urged Leo to “focus on being a great pope rather than pandering to radical leftists; it’s negatively impacting both him and the Church.”
Later, as he disembarked from Air Force One in Maryland, Trump reiterated his criticisms to reporters: “I really don’t think he’s doing a good job. I guess he leans toward crime. I’m not a fan of Pope Leo. He’s very liberal and doesn’t seem committed to stopping crime.”
About 45 minutes after his Truth Social post, Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself in a robe, appearing to heal sick individuals, set against a backdrop of America.
Pope Leo had previously stated that he is “not America’s pope but America’s pope to the world.” In comments on U.S. policy related to receiving a lifetime achievement award, he remarked on the complexities of pro-life issues, suggesting that contradictions exist in positions purportedly advocating for life.
In October 2025, he refrained from critiquing the Trump administration’s deployment of troops in Chicago, stating, “I don’t want to comment on political choices at this time.”
The Pope expressed increasing concerns about achieving peace and reducing violence, especially after President Trump made strong statements regarding Iran. Following a question about divine support for U.S. actions in Iran, Trump remarked, “I do this because God is good and wants people to feel valued. God isn’t pleased with what’s happening.”
Pope Leo affirmed that, “God does not bless conflict,” advocating for coexistence and dialogue over military actions.
A recent public opinion poll revealed that 48% of Catholic respondents supported Trump’s actions, while 52% were opposed, indicating a slight division in views. Interestingly, opinions on military force against Iran were quite mixed, with 45% showing support for military action, while many others disapproved and expressed concerns regarding safety.
Trump garnered 55% of the Catholic vote in the 2024 election, compared to 43% for Kamala Harris, although in 2020, Biden had won 50% of Catholic voters against Trump’s 49%.
