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U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up his attacks on Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, calling him "weak on crime" and ineffective on foreign policy after his Iran peace call, while also sharing an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump argued that the Catholic leader focused on "fear" of his administration while ignoring what he described as the persecution of religious figures during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also claimed the pope’s election was shaped by the Church’s effort to manage relations with his presidency.
"He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American," Trump wrote, adding that without his time in office, Leo "wouldn’t be in the Vatican."
Trump tied his criticism directly to Iran, saying he did not want "a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon," and accusing the pontiff of taking a soft stance on countries he views as threats.
He also criticized U.S. policy debates linked to Venezuela, claiming the country had "emptied their prisons" into the United States, while portraying the pope as out of step with security concerns.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Trump doubled down, stating, "I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo," and describing him as "a very liberal person" who "doesn’t believe in stopping crime."
The remarks followed a public appeal from Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter’s Basilica, where he called for an end to global conflict. "Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!" the pope told worshippers.
Despite the escalating language, both Washington and the Vatican have denied reports of a formal diplomatic rupture. A Vatican spokesperson rejected claims that a Pentagon official confronted the Holy See’s envoy, saying accounts of the meeting were inaccurate.
Still, divisions remain pronounced. The Vatican has criticized the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy as "inhuman" and voiced opposition to U.S. military actions in the Middle East and Venezuela.
Tensions deepened further after Trump issued a stark warning toward Iran earlier in the week, saying, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." The pope condemned the statement as "truly unacceptable" and urged renewed negotiations.
While Pope Leo welcomed a recent U.S.-Iran ceasefire as a "sign of real hope," talks held in Islamabad ended abruptly, with U.S. Vice President JD Vance saying Washington had presented its "final and best offer."
Since Feb. 28, U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have left over 3,000 dead, prompting Tehran to hit back across multiple countries before a two-week ceasefire took effect.
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