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 civilization 'unacceptable' and calling for 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, marking his second major foreign trip since taking office. The US president wrote in a post that Pope Leo 'should get his act together' and said he was 'weak on nuclear weapons', a reference to Tehran's attempts to become a nuclear power, cited as a justification for conflict with Iran.
He further suggested 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' and added: 'If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.' In follow-up comments, Trump continued to express dissatisfaction, saying, 'I don't think he's doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess.'
Some critics, including prominent Catholics, have responded sharply to Trump's comments, with comparisons drawn to past tensions between the papacy and dictators during World War II. Commentators noted that 'Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly.'
The Pope, known for advocating peaceful resolutions to global conflicts, has repeatedly called for an end to violence in the Middle East. Following Trump's controversial statements, he underscored the need for peace and urged those with the power to unleash wars to choose a different course, highlighting the alarming trend of global indifference towards violence.
Pope Leo has been a staunch critic of the war, calling Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization 'unacceptable' and calling for 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, marking his second major foreign trip since taking office. The US president wrote in a post that Pope Leo 'should get his act together' and said he was 'weak on nuclear weapons', a reference to Tehran's attempts to become a nuclear power, cited as a justification for conflict with Iran.
He further suggested 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' and added: 'If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.' In follow-up comments, Trump continued to express dissatisfaction, saying, 'I don't think he's doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess.'
Some critics, including prominent Catholics, have responded sharply to Trump's comments, with comparisons drawn to past tensions between the papacy and dictators during World War II. Commentators noted that 'Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly.'
The Pope, known for advocating peaceful resolutions to global conflicts, has repeatedly called for an end to violence in the Middle East. Following Trump's controversial statements, he underscored the need for peace and urged those with the power to unleash wars to choose a different course, highlighting the alarming trend of global indifference towards violence.
