[Brendan Smialowski/AFP]
U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Pope Leo, accusing the pontiff of taking a politically charged stance on global conflicts, including the ongoing tensions involving Iran and Israel.
The remarks have deepened a public dispute between the White House and the Vatican over war, security policy and the role of religious leadership in global affairs.
Trump, speaking through a strongly worded statement, rejected the Pope’s reported comments on the Iran conflict and broader international security issues, saying the pontiff had failed to reflect the realities of modern threats facing the United States and its allies.
The President directly attacked the Pope’s leadership approach, saying: “Pope Leo is weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy.”
He added that the pontiff’s position on global security raised serious concerns, particularly on nuclear proliferation and armed conflict.
Trump further disputed the Pope’s moral framing of international tensions, stating: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it is OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
He argued that such a position undermined global stability and contradicted efforts to prevent nuclear escalation in volatile regions.
In his remarks, Trump also revisited the COVID-19 pandemic period, accusing authorities of unfairly targeting religious institutions during lockdowns. He said churches and clergy were subjected to restrictions that, in his view, went too far in limiting worship.
He stated: “During COVID they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else for holding church services.” He added that even outdoor gatherings with social distancing had been restricted in ways he considered excessive.
Trump also defended his administration’s foreign policy record, arguing that U.S. actions abroad were necessary to address crime, drug trafficking and border security threats.
He cited Venezuela as an example, claiming that instability there had contributed to criminal activity affecting the United States.
He said: “They were sending massive amounts of drugs into the United States.” Trump also accused the country of exporting criminals, including individuals he described as dangerous offenders, into American communities.
The President extended his criticism to the Pope’s broader political engagements, suggesting that the pontiff was aligning too closely with ideological opponents of his administration.
He argued that such associations were inappropriate for a global religious leader tasked with moral guidance rather than political advocacy.
Trump also questioned the circumstances surrounding Pope Leo’s election, suggesting that his appointment carried political undertones due to his American background.
He claimed the Church may have seen his nationality as strategically useful in global diplomacy.
In a personal comparison that further sharpened the tone of the dispute, Trump referenced the Pope’s family, saying he preferred his brother Louis, whom he described as politically aligned with his movement.
The remark added a rare personal dimension to an already escalating disagreement.