President Donald Trump took aim at Pope Leo XIV – the first American to lead the Catholic Church – in a Truth Social post that accused the pontiff of being soft on crime, weak on nuclear weapons, and a pawn of the political left.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside,” Trump wrote. “I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA.”
Speaking to reporters after landing in Washington, Trump added that he didn’t think the pope was “doing a very good job,” saying, “He likes crime, I guess. He’s a very liberal person.”
The comments seemed to have poured gasoline on a feud that’s been building for weeks between the White House and the Vatican, centered on the U.S.-Israel war in Iran.
Pope Leo XIV has been outspoken about the conflict, calling Trump’s rhetoric used against the Iranian people “truly unacceptable,” per AP News. That response was allegedly prompted by Trump’s warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” in the hours before a temporary ceasefire was struck last week.
In a Truth Social post, Trump framed the pope’s calls for peace as a sign of weakness in response to a growing global threat. “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote, while also criticizing Leo for opposing U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. “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 added.
Pope Leo XIV has not said Iran should possess nuclear weapons – though he has called the U.S.-Israel war in Iran “unjust.”
Trump Links His Presidency Directly to Leo XIV’s Selection as Pontiff
One of the most eyebrow-raising elements of Trump’s post was his claim that Pope Leo XIV owes his papal office to Trump personally.
“He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote.
This isn’t the first time Trump has tied himself to Leo’s election. When Leo was elected in May 2025, Trump called it “such a great honor for our country to have an American pope.”
Before the conclave convened last year, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself wearing white papal vestments and a headdress – which the White House then reshared on its official X account – kicking off a wave of backlash from the Catholic community and some of its leaders who called it deeply disrespectful during a period of mourning for Pope Francis.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 3, 2025
Trump Defends AI Biblical Image as Medical Scene After Backlash and Deletion
Shortly after his criticisms of Pope Leo XIV on the tarmac this week, Trump posted another AI-generated image depicting himself in a biblical-style robe, this time, laying hands on a bedridden man as light radiated from his fingers, with eagles, military jets, and an American flag filling the sky above. The image, before it was deleted from Truth Social, essentially portrayed Trump as Jesus Christ.
Political commentator Michael Knowles called out Trump’s AI photo on X, writing, “I assume someone has already told him, but it behooves the President both spiritually and politically to delete the picture, no matter the intent.”
For his part, Trump stated that the image was a depiction of himself as a doctor, not Jesus Christ.
President Trump claims the viral image that was posted on Truth was not a depiction of him as Jesus Christ but was him being depicted as a doctor.
Reporter: Did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ?
Trump: I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor… pic.twitter.com/4pfSRFPdrp
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 13, 2026
Pope Leo XIV Fires Back from Papal Plane, Stressing Call for Reconciliation and Peace
Pope Leo XIV fired back Monday morning aboard the papal plane, en route to Algeria for an 11-day trip across Africa.
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Pope Leo XIV told AP News. “I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.”
The pushback from Catholic leadership in the United States was also quick and clear. Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, published a statement on April 12 saying, “I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father. Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”
