By Gloria Ogbonna
President Donald J. Trump launched a fierce public attack on Pope Leo XIV, calling the pontiff “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” and making clear that he does not want a pope who opposes key actions and positions of his administration.
The unusually blunt criticism came in a lengthy post on Truth Social late Sunday night, marking a striking escalation in tensions between the White House and the leader of the Catholic Church.
Trump’s post went far beyond general disagreement, as he openly contrasted Pope Leo XIV with the pope’s own brother, saying he likes the brother “much better” and suggesting that his brother is more aligned with Trump’s political worldview.
The former president wrote that he does not want a pope who, in his view, supports what he described as permissive stances on international security issues — including comments that Trump framed as accepting Iran’s potential acquisition of a nuclear weapon — or who criticizes American military actions like the intervention in Venezuela.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote, accusing the pontiff of overlooking what he described as fear among religious groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump invoked memories of government restrictions on worship services during the pandemic, alleging — without evidence — that clergy were arrested even when practicing social distancing.
The former president’s broadside also included sharp jabs at Vatican diplomats and figures he associates with liberal politics, accusing Pope Leo of meeting with “Obama Sympathizers” and criticizing churchgoers.
Trump claimed that Leo’s election as pope was largely influenced by his status as an American, suggesting that the Church chose him to facilitate relations with the Trump administration and asserting “if I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
Trump reiterated that he does not want a pope who publicly criticizes him for carrying out what he describes as the agenda he was elected to pursue: reducing crime and conducting foreign policy actions that he believes protect the United States.
He urged Pope Leo to “get his act together,” “use common sense,” and to stop what he termed “catering to the Radical Left.”
The president’s remarks come amid a backdrop of clear ideological differences between the Vatican and the U.S. administration. Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope, has been increasingly vocal on the international stage, calling for peace and dialogue in conflicts such as the ongoing war involving Iran, and urging global leaders to seek negotiation rather than escalation.
In recent addresses from St. Peter’s Basilica, he has condemned the “delusion of omnipotence” that fuels war and appealed for restraint, themes that many saw as indirect critiques of Trump’s policies on Iran and broader foreign affairs.
This high-profile clash reflects a rare and public disagreement between the American political leader and the head of the Roman Catholic Church, highlighting deep divides over global conflict, moral leadership, and the role of spiritual authority in public policy debates.
Source Breitbart