Donald Trump has launched an unusual and scathing attack on Pope Leo over his opposition to US immigration policy and the war in Iran. The US president accused the pontiff of being WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy in a Truth Social post, later telling reporters he was not a big fan. Pope Leo has been a staunch critic of the war, calling Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilisation unacceptable and urging him to find an off-ramp to end the conflict.
He has also questioned whether Trump's hard-line immigration policy aligns with the pro-life stance of the Catholic Church. Trump's remarks came as the pontiff embarked on an 11-day trip to Africa, his second major foreign trip since being elected last year. The US president wrote in a Sunday post that Pope Leo should get his act together and said he was weak on nuclear weapons, referring to Tehran's nuclear aspirations.
Trump further insinuated that the pontiff was elected because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump. He stated categorically, If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.
When asked to clarify his remarks, Trump replied: I don't think he's doing a very good job; he likes crime, I guess. He emphasized that Pope Leo is a very liberal person who condones crime and engages with a country that pursues nuclear weapons.
The Pope has generally used public addresses to denounce global conflicts and advocate for peace in the Middle East. This latest conflict has drawn immediate criticism from Catholics, with some noting that Trump's comments echoed historical attacks on the papacy. Commentator Massimo Faggioli remarked, Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly.
Trump's heated comments come on the heels of the Pope's condemnation of violence and the normalization of conflict, urging global leaders to repent and choose peace.
He has also questioned whether Trump's hard-line immigration policy aligns with the pro-life stance of the Catholic Church. Trump's remarks came as the pontiff embarked on an 11-day trip to Africa, his second major foreign trip since being elected last year. The US president wrote in a Sunday post that Pope Leo should get his act together and said he was weak on nuclear weapons, referring to Tehran's nuclear aspirations.
Trump further insinuated that the pontiff was elected because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump. He stated categorically, If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.
When asked to clarify his remarks, Trump replied: I don't think he's doing a very good job; he likes crime, I guess. He emphasized that Pope Leo is a very liberal person who condones crime and engages with a country that pursues nuclear weapons.
The Pope has generally used public addresses to denounce global conflicts and advocate for peace in the Middle East. This latest conflict has drawn immediate criticism from Catholics, with some noting that Trump's comments echoed historical attacks on the papacy. Commentator Massimo Faggioli remarked, Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly.
Trump's heated comments come on the heels of the Pope's condemnation of violence and the normalization of conflict, urging global leaders to repent and choose peace.
