US President Donald Trump on Monday slammed Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”, escalating tensions between the White House and the Vatican.Trump criticised the pontiff’s stance on global issues, particularly accusing him of being soft on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and opposing US military actions abroad. He also took aim at the Pope’s comments about the Trump administration, saying Leo had highlighted “fear” of his presidency while ignoring restrictions faced by churches during the Covid pandemic.“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about “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 arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart,” said the US President on Truth Social.The US president further claimed that he did not want a pope who, in his view, supported Iran obtaining nuclear weapons or criticised American actions in countries such as Venezuela. Defending his own record, Trump said his administration had achieved record-low crime levels and strong stock market performance, asserting he was carrying out the mandate of his election victory. ” I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History,” he added in a long-post on the social media platform.
In a personal swipe, Trump said he preferred the Pope’s brother, describing him as aligned with his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement. He also alleged that Leo’s elevation to the papacy was unexpected and suggested it was influenced by his own presidency .Trump further took jabs on the Pope, telling him to “get his act together” and focus on religious leadership rather than politics, warning that such positions were harming the Catholic Church.Later, talking to reporters, Trump took more swipes at the Pope saying, “I dont think he is doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess… We don’t like a Pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a Pope who says crime is OK in our cities. I don’t like it. I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo. He’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man who doesn’t believe in stopping crime. He’s a man who doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world. I’m not a fan of Pope Leo…” This comes after Pope Leo XIV on Saturday issued a strong appeal for peace, urging world leaders to end ongoing conflicts and reject what he described as a growing culture of power and aggression. “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!” the 70-year-old American pope said, warning against what he called a “delusion of omnipotence” that is becoming increasingly unpredictable and dangerous.Also read: Donald Trump weighs limited Iran strikes after negotiation talks collapseCalling for a shift towards dialogue, Leo said leaders must choose negotiation over militarisation. “To them we cry out: stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation – not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided,” he said. He also cautioned against invoking religion to justify violence, adding that even “the holy Name of God… is being dragged into discourses of death,” and stressed that “true strength is shown in serving life.”The remarks come amid a broader disagreement between the two leaders, with Pope Leo recently urging restraint and diplomacy in global conflicts, including the ongoing tensions involving Iran.
