President Trump continues to engage in a verbal spat with Pope Leo XIV regarding the Iran war, cautioning against political involvement.
In an interview with CBS on Monday, Trump labeled Leo, 70 and born in the U.S., as “wrong about this issue,” and emphasized, “I don’t think he should get involved in politics. He probably learned that from this.”
When asked if he intended to reach out to Leo, the leader of approximately 1.4 billion Catholics, Trump simply replied “no,” maintaining his stance during the ongoing dispute.
The president expressed uncertainty about whether the Pope would make a visit to Washington during his term, stating, “I don’t know. That’s up to him, not me.”
In another discussion, Trump mentioned why he took down an AI-generated image depicting him as Jesus, claiming it had led to misunderstanding.
He has previously critiqued the Pope for being “soft on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy,” reiterating those points early Monday.
Trump, standing firm in his beliefs, told reporters: “I strongly disagree with what I’m doing about Iran, and there can’t be a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo won’t be pleased with the outcome.”
Pope Leo, however, stated he isn’t intimidated by the U.S. administration and prefers not to engage with Trump, who promotes peace over conflict.
“I’m not afraid to openly criticize the Trump administration and advocate the gospel’s message,” he shared with reporters during a flight to Algiers, Algeria.
“I will keep opposing war, promoting peace, and pushing for dialogue among nations to find solutions.”
“We’re not politicians and don’t approach foreign policy the way he does. As a peacemaker, I uphold the message of the gospel.”
Trump’s remarks about Leo have drawn backlash from allies in Rome.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was the only European leader at Trump’s second inauguration, condemned his comments about the Pope as “unacceptable.”
“The Pope leads the Catholic Church, and it’s completely appropriate for him to advocate for peace and denounce all forms of war,” she remarked.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, previously a Trump supporter, described the attacks as “neither wise nor useful.”
As the May 2025 election approaches, Leo, known formerly as Robert Francis Prevost, has increased his criticisms of the administration, including sharing posts from Catholic commentator Rocco Palmo.
Palmo’s last post before being elected to the conclave was a retweet criticizing Trump’s partnership with El Salvador’s President Nayib Boucle regarding the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
