by WorldTribune Staff, April 13, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
President Donald Trump on Sunday slammed Pope Leo as "weak" and "terrible" for the pontiff's comments on the Iran conflict, adding "If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican."
Trump posted to Truth Social:
"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.
"I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! 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.
"Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.
"Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church! President DONALD J. TRUMP".
The pontiff responded on Monday, saying: “I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.”
“I have no fear of the Trump administration,” he added.
History’s first U.S.-born pope stressed he was not making a direct attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the “delusion of omnipotence” that he said is fueling the Iran wars and other conflicts around the world, the AP reported.
"We are not politicians. We do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective that he may have," the pope said, adding, "I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems. Too many people are suffering today, too many innocent people have been killed, and I believe someone must stand up and say that there is a better way."
Pope Leo XIV is currently undertaking the first-ever papal trip to Algeria where he said he will promote Christian-Muslim coexistence in Africa.
Africa's Christians continue, as they have for many years, to be targeted in attacks by Islamic terrorist groups.
Related: Easter in Nigeria: Fulani militia raid 3 communities with impunity, April 5, 2026
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