US President Donald Trump has criticised Pope Leo XIV, calling him “not a great fan” and accusing the pontiff of being "very liberal" and "soft" on crime.
Speaking at Maryland’s Andrews military base on Sunday, Trump alleged that Pope Leo XIV was "playing games with a country that wants to acquire nuclear weapons," referring to Iran.
Shortly after, the president took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to publish a lengthy post. He accused the pope of supporting Iran’s nuclear programme, opposing a US military operation in Venezuela in January, and meeting sympathisers of former Democratic President Barack Obama.
"I don’t want a pope who criticises the president of the United States. I was elected, BY A LANDSLIDE, to reduce crime to historic lows and create the greatest stock market in history," Trump exclaimed in his message.
The post was accompanied by an AI-generated image of Trump dressed in a white and red toga, placing his hand on a sick person’s forehead in a hospital room, surrounded by praying individuals. The background portrayed an American flag, the Statue of Liberty, fighter jets, eagles, and other dramatic imagery.
Trump’s comments came in response to a speech by Pope Leo XIV on Saturday, where the pontiff delivered a passionate call for peace during a prayer vigil at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
The Pope urged humanity to reject selfishness, materialism, and displays of force, declaring, "Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of demonstrations of power! Enough of war! True strength is revealed in serving life."
Since his election in May 2025, Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago, has taken a firm stand against various policies of the Trump administration while keeping communication channels open with Washington.
