A growing clash between political and religious leadership spilled into public view as President Donald Trump sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV in a lengthy social media post.
According to the New York Post, the comments, posted Sunday night, marked an escalation in tensions following the pope’s recent remarks condemning the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president went on to outline his disagreements with the pontiff’s positions, particularly on international issues and U.S. military actions.
“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, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country,” he continued.
Trump also took issue with criticism directed at his administration, arguing that his policies reflect the mandate he received from voters.
“And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”
The president further urged the pontiff to change course.
He said the pope “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.”
The remarks come after Pope Leo spoke out against the war, calling it “atrocious” and warning against using religion to justify conflict.
The exchange reflects a widening divide between the White House and the Vatican, as disagreements over war, immigration, and global policy continue to surface publicly.
The situation remains fluid, with tensions between the two figures showing no signs of easing.
