Leo, who last year became the first US-born pope, has emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
United States President Donald Trump has unleashed a storm of criticism at Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”, drawing a sharp rebuke from the head of the Catholic Church.
Trump delivered the unusual criticism of Leo in a Sunday night post on social media, saying he does not “want a Pope who criticises the President of the United States”.
Trump’s outburst appeared to be triggered by recent remarks from Pope Leo critical of the US-Israel war on Iran.
Pushing back against Trump’s broadside, Leo said the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he did not fear the Trump administration.
“I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” Leo said on Monday on board the papal flight to Algiers, where the first US-born pope is starting a 11-day tour to four African countries.
“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems,” he said, speaking in English.
“Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”
Last week, Leo had issued a rare direct rebuke of Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilisation, calling it “truly unacceptable“. And then, on Sunday, the 70-year-old pontiff implored leaders to end ongoing bloodshed, condemning what he described as a “delusion of omnipotence” fuelling war – comments that appeared directed at Trump.
The pope has also previously questioned the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies, saying, “I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”
Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote: “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.”
“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,” said the US president.
Trump also claimed credit for Leo’s leadership in the Catholic Church, suggesting the Vatican picked the first US-born pontiff – elected last year – to curry favour with the White House. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump said.
Asked about the comments later on Sunday, Trump reiterated that he is “not a big fan” of Leo, who he said “is not doing a very good job”.
“He likes crime, I guess,” said Trump. “He’s a very liberal person.”
Trump also had a rocky relationship with Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, who criticised Trump’s immigration policy proposals when he first ran for president and suggested Trump was “not a Christian“. Trump had called Francis “disgraceful” in early 2016.