On Sunday, President Donald Trump launched an attack on Pope Leo XIV, just days after both the Vatican and the Pentagon attempted to clarify reports suggesting that the Pope had pressured the Holy See regarding U.S. foreign policy.
The Vatican finally addressed the situation on Friday, following a week of claims from various media outlets, including the Free Press. These reports alleged that a meeting in January between U.S. Undersecretary of the Army for Policy, Elbridge Colby, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s former ambassador to the United States, had soured. That meeting raised eyebrows. (Related article: Trump deletes controversial post portraying himself as Jesus after backlash from Christians)
In its statement, the Vatican described the reports of contentious discussions as “absolutely false,” emphasizing that the two sides had merely talked about “matters of mutual interest.”
Furthermore, the Army’s rapid response team commented on Thursday that the discussions were “respectful and reasoned” and that claims suggesting otherwise were “grossly exaggerated and distorted.”
Since President Trump made his “Truth Social” post critiquing the Pope, neither side has provided more information. Interestingly, there appear to be inconsistencies between what was reportedly said in private during their January meeting and Trump’s comments made publicly on Sunday.
Trump stated, “Pope Leo is weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy,” urging the Pope to focus more on church matters rather than U.S. actions. His comments seemed to echo what Colby had suggested—that American military power allows the U.S. to act independently, and that aligning with the Vatican’s interests is beneficial for the Vatican itself.
Although neither party confirmed or denied specific details, there are suggestions that Colby may have referenced the Avignon Curia, a historical period when several popes were under the influence of the French crown.
President Trump’s language mirrored this sentiment, openly stating what he didn’t want the Pope to think or express. He remarked, “I don’t want a pope who says… I think it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons… I think it’s terrible that the United States attacked Venezuela,” and added, “I criticize the president of the United States.”
Notably, since President Trump has criticized military actions and advocated for peaceful resolutions in conflicts, these comments are believed to have led to the Colby-Pierre discussion.
On Sunday, Trump shared a now-deleted image of himself dressed as Jesus, suggesting he was using American power for good. The Pope’s accusations are viewed as part of a broader apostolic succession, though Trump asserted he was “doing exactly what I was elected to do in a landslide.”
He went on to say that Leo’s election as Pope was largely due to his American identity and perceived suitability to handle relations with the president, claiming, “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
In response early Monday, Pope Leo stated he was “not afraid of the Trump administration” and would not engage in further discussion. He clarified that his call for peace was intended to uphold Christ’s teachings promoting peace and to encourage efforts to avoid war.
Neither the Pentagon nor the Vatican provided further comments to downplay the tension from the meeting, but Trump’s post implies that many of the sentiments expressed by the Pope might align with the administration’s views. (Related article: Conservatives react intensely to Trump’s Christ-like image and the Pope)
The White House directed inquiries to the Pentagon, which, along with the Vatican, did not respond to requests for comments.
