In an unusual public quarrel, US President Donald Trump and Pope Leon XIV have engaged in a dispute over the war in Iran. This comes after the pontiff mentioned Trump directly for the first time, following months of tension between the Vatican and the White House.
Elected in May 2025 as the first American pope, formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leon XIV initially maintained a more reserved public style than his predecessor, Pope Francis, who was a frequent and vocal critic of the Trump administration.
The tensions between the Vatican and the White House had been building up for months, and this recent exchange brought those differences to light. The tension escalated on Sunday when Trump launched a harsh attack on the Pope on his social media platform, Truth Social, calling him “WEAK against crime and a poor foreign policy adviser.”
“I do not want a pope who finds it acceptable for Iran to possess nuclear weapons,” Trump wrote. He also criticized the Pope’s stance on the US intervention in Venezuela, accusing the country of flooding the US with drugs and emptying its prisons.
This public clash follows the Pope’s condemnation of Trump’s remarks warning that the US could “annihilate Iranian civilization” if Tehran did not comply with nuclear negotiation demands and those related to the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump insinuated that the Pope was critical of him because he is American, suggesting that if he were not in office, Pope Leon XIV would not be in the Vatican. However, the Pope refused to engage with Trump personally, emphasizing his commitment to opposing war, promoting peace, dialogue, and multilateralism.
According to Associated Press polling, the Republican candidate garnered 55% of the Catholic vote in the 2024 election. Catholics represent about a fifth of the American population, including Vice President J.D. Vance.
Experts suggest that the Pope’s change in tone and approach indicates a desire to counterbalance Trump on the world stage and his foreign policy objectives. It is seen as part of a long-standing tradition of popes urging global leaders to renounce war.
The recent statements by Pope Leon XIV and his direct appeal to Trump “reveal a deep sadness about this unrelenting violence,” said Marie Dennis, former leader of the international Catholic peace movement, Pax Christi.
