Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

Pope Leo has said he has “no fear” of the Trump administration and will continue to speak out against war, after the US president launched an unusually sharp attack on his stance regarding the Iran conflict, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

Donald Trump accused the pontiff of being “WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy” in a post on Truth Social, later telling reporters that he was “not a big fan” of the Pope.

In response, the Pope told journalists while travelling en route to Algeria that he did not wish to engage in a public dispute with Trump, but reaffirmed that he would continue promoting peace and condemning violence.

He has been a vocal critic of the escalation surrounding Iran, describing Trump’s rhetoric about the possible destruction of Iranian civilisation as “unacceptable” and urging all sides to find an “off-ramp” to de-escalate tensions.

Direct exchanges between a pope and world leaders in such a public and confrontational tone are highly unusual in modern history, as the Vatican typically avoids direct political confrontation.

There are more than 70 million Catholics in the United States—around 20% of the population—including Trump’s Vice President, JD Vance, highlighting the political sensitivity of the dispute.

Trump’s remarks came as the Pope began an 11-day visit to Africa, his second major foreign trip since his election last year, a journey focused on peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, and humanitarian issues.

In his post, Trump also suggested that the Pope “should get his act together,” claiming he was “weak on nuclear weapons,” referring to concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which have been cited as one of the key drivers of regional tensions.

He further claimed that the Pope was elected partly because he is American, suggesting it was seen as a way to improve relations with the White House. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump added.

When asked to clarify his remarks, Trump said: “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess.” He went on to describe the Pope as “very liberal” and accused him of opposing efforts to stop nuclear proliferation, arguing that Iran’s potential nuclear capability posed a global threat.

The Pope, speaking aboard his flight to Algiers, stressed that his mission was not political but moral. “I have no fear of the Trump administration, or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do,” he said.

“I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” he added. “Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent lives are being lost. Someone must stand up and say: there is a better path.”

His remarks have sparked global debate, with some commentators drawing historical parallels to past tensions between the Vatican and authoritarian regimes. One scholar, Massimo Faggioli, noted that such direct criticism of a pope by a US president is extremely rare in modern history.

The Pope has repeatedly used public appearances to call for de-escalation in global conflicts, particularly in the Middle East. He previously condemned Trump’s statement that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” as “truly unacceptable.”

He has also criticised Trump’s strict immigration policies, questioning whether it is consistent with pro-life values to support what he described as the “inhuman treatment of migrants.”

Pope Leo is widely seen as continuing the humanitarian and diplomatic approach of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who in 2016 said Trump was “not Christian” due to his rhetoric on immigration. Trump, in turn, called the late pontiff “disgraceful,” underscoring a long-running tension between the Vatican and the former president.