Trump blasts Pope Leo after pontiff’s veiled jabs over Iran war, immigration

President Trump has sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV following the pontiff’s recent comments condemning the war involving Iran and broader global military actions.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social on Sunday night, Trump accused the pope of being “weak on crime” and ineffective in foreign policy, arguing that the pontiff’s stance undermines his administration’s efforts.

Trump said he did not want a pope who supports the idea that Iran should be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, and also objected to what he described as criticism of U.S. military actions against Venezuela. He defended those actions as necessary responses to drug trafficking and crime, claiming they were part of his mandate from voters and pointing to what he called record-low crime rates and a strong economy.

The president also pushed back against Pope Leo’s recent remarks on war and morality, saying the pope should avoid political commentary and focus on religious leadership instead. Trump suggested the pontiff was aligning too closely with political opponents and said such behavior was harming both the Catholic Church and his role as pope.

In the same message, Trump praised the pope’s brother, Louis Prevost, describing him as a strong supporter of his “Make America Great Again” movement and saying he preferred him over the pope himself.

The criticism came shortly after Pope Leo delivered a series of public messages during religious services in Rome, where he condemned the “idolatry of self” and warned against leaders who justify violence. The pope did not directly name Trump but has repeatedly spoken out against the ongoing conflict involving Iran, urging peace and calling for restraint from governments on all sides.

During Palm Sunday observances, Pope Leo also said that faith cannot be used to justify warfare and warned against leaders who pursue conflict while invoking religious language. He emphasized themes of peace and reconciliation in his addresses.

Adding to the controversy, Trump also shared an AI-generated image on his social media platform depicting himself in a religious, Jesus-like pose.