Trump Calls Pope Leo XIV 'Weak on Crime' as Iran War Criticism Sparks Feud
President Trump called Pope Leo XIV "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy" after the Pope criticized America's war in Iran. The public fight marks an unusual break between the U.S. president and the leader of the world's largest Christian church.
President Trump launched a public attack on Pope Leo XIV this weekend, calling him "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy" after the Pope criticized America's war in Iran.
The fight started when Pope Leo called out "a handful of tyrants" who spend billions on war instead of helping people. The Pope also mocked Trump's social media platform Truth Social, calling the name "ironic."
Trump fired back on social media, telling the Pope to "focus on religious matters rather than politics." The president also posted an AI-generated image of himself looking like Jesus, which drew more criticism.
Popes have criticized U.S. policies before, but this personal back-and-forth is unusual. The Catholic Church has also called for more humane immigration policies from the Trump administration.
The feud puts American Catholics in an awkward position, as they now watch their religious leader and president trade public insults over war and politics.
This rare public feud between a U.S. president and the Pope affects millions of American Catholics who follow both leaders. It also shows growing international criticism of U.S. military action in Iran.
Watch for more statements from both leaders as the Iran war continues and Catholic leaders respond to Trump's attacks.
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