US President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV via social media, labeling him as “weak” on matters of crime and nuclear arms. This comes as the Pope has taken a firm stance against the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran.
The leader of the Catholic Church is preparing for a ten-day tour across four nations in Africa. In a post shared on Truth Social, President Trump condemned the Pope after he made a weekend appeal for peace. Trump asserted that the first American Pope was “terrible for foreign policy” and urged him to cease his alignment with what he termed the “Radical Left.” He expressed his disapproval of the Pope’s views on Iran, stating, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”
Following his social media remarks, Trump addressed reporters after arriving in Washington from Florida. He expressed his lack of admiration for Pope Leo, describing him as “very liberal” and accusing him of neglecting crime control. He further criticized the Pope for engaging with a nation seeking nuclear capabilities.
This criticism marks a significant departure from the usual diplomatic decorum expected in relations between the US and the Vatican. The Pope, known for his careful choice of words, has been vocal in his opposition to the US-Israeli military actions against Iran. He previously termed Trump’s recent threats to obliterate Iranian civilization as “unacceptable” and has urged for a reconsideration of how migrants are treated in the US under Trump’s administration.
On the same day that the US and Iran initiated direct negotiations in Pakistan amidst a fragile ceasefire, the Pope led a prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica. Although he did not specify the US or Trump in his prayers, his remarks seemed aimed at the president and US officials who have defended military actions through a religious lens.
As for his upcoming journey, the Pope’s African tour will last ten days and include stops in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, covering eleven cities and towns—a complex itinerary for any pontiff in recent history. Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official closely associated with the Pope, explained that the visit aims to draw global attention to African issues.
This will be only the Pope’s second major overseas trip since his election last May; he previously visited Türkiye and Lebanon last November and December, along with a visit to Monaco in March. Notably, over 20 percent of the world’s Catholics reside in Africa, with the majority of the population in the three sub-Saharan countries he plans to visit identifying as Catholic. Conversely, Algeria is predominantly Muslim, with fewer than 10,000 Catholics amidst its 48 million residents.
