Trump lashes out at Pope Leo amid Iran war rebuke April 13, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News WASHINGTON (OSV News) — President Donald Trump lashed out at Pope Leo XIV on social media and in verbal remarks April 12, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” as tensions escalate in the Mideast. Pope Leo has been a staunch critic of combat operations generally, including those initiated by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28. He also condemned Trump’s threat to wipe out Iran’s “whole civilization,” which the president later backed down from, citing negotiations with Pakistani mediators. The pontiff held a special evening prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter’s Basilica April 11. “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump said in a post on his social media website, Truth Social, Sunday night. “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. 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.” Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, has called for the rejection of nuclear weapons, and there is no evidence he supports Iran having such weapons. Trump claimed Pope Leo was elected as pope because the Church thought an American pontiff 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,” he wrote. Elsewhere in the post, the president also alleged the Catholic Church demonstrated “fear” during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA,” Trump said. “He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a brief statement late April 12 that he was “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,” Archbishop Coakley said. “He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.” The post from Trump came shortly after Vice President JD Vance failed to secure the key concessions the U.S. sought from Iran in a marathon 21 hours of negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan. It also came the same day Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a Trump ally, lost an election in that country, despite support from Trump and Vance. Trump made similar comments about Pope Leo to reporters on April 12, telling them, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job.” “I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo,” Trump said. “He’s a very liberal person.” Trump’s post also came shortly after a report by The Free Press — which was disputed by both the Pentagon and the Vatican — which claimed the Vatican’s top diplomat in the U.S. was brought to the Pentagon in January for a “bitter lecture” about comments from Pope Leo after Trump’s Venezuela operation that some senior U.S. defense officials perceived as criticism of the Trump administration. “Leo 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,” Trump continued in his post. “It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!” In remarks at his April 11 vigil, Pope Leo expressed solidarity with those suffering from conflict, also notably in Sudan and Lebanon, saying, “I appeal to the parties in conflict to cease fire and urgently seek a peaceful solution.” Also see: At peace vigil, Archbishop Lori condemns threats of ‘obliterating’ a civilization Also see Catholic maritime ministries urge prayer for seafarers trapped amid Hormuz blockade Pope condemns killings in Iran, speaks on migration, same-sex blessings Archbishop Lori urges respect, dialogue after Trump-pope tensions US bishops’ doctrine chair defends Church’s just war tradition after Vance comments Lebanese Christians mourn rising death toll as war shatters communities, hope Pope Leo responds to Trump: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ Copyright © 2026 OSV News Print
