Tensions Between the White House and the Vatican Escalate as Trump Insults the World's Catholic Leader

The rare clash between an American president and the leader of the Catholic Church comes as Trump managed to win 55 percent of the Catholic vote in the 2024 election.

News ID: 87662

Date: 13 April 2026 - 13:07

TEHRAN (Defapress) - In an unprecedented and insulting attack on Pope Leo XIV, US President Donald Trump called him weak and terrible and questioned his political rationality. The public insults, which were made on Sunday night, brought tensions between the White House and the Vatican to an unprecedented level.

Trump, who was returning to Washington from Florida, first strongly criticized Pope Leo in a long post on Truth and then repeated these attacks to reporters on the runway at the airport. He said: "I am not a fan of Pope Leo and I don't think he is doing a very good job. He has very liberal views.

Trump accused the Pope of being too radical left-wing and, in an insulting remark, asked him to use his intellect more and focus on his religious role instead of playing politics.

The attack came after Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Provost) indirectly criticized US policies in the war with Iran during a Saturday evening service in St. Peter's Basilica. The American pontiff spoke of the "delusion of omnipotence" that is directly related to the aggressive actions of the US and Israel against Iran.

He had previously called Trump's threats of a massive attack on Iranian facilities and the claim of "total destruction of Iranian civilization overnight" "completely unacceptable." Pope Leo also emphasized that God does not listen to the prayers of those who start wars and, citing the Bible, condemned the hands stained with the blood of innocents and warmongers.

“Pope Leo is weak in front of crime and has a terrible foreign policy. I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons,” Trump wrote in his message, repeating the same sentiment to reporters, saying, “We don’t want a pope who says it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons.”

Trump also referred to his administration’s move to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, saying the pope should not have condemned the U.S. invasion of Venezuela, which was a major drug-trafficking center to the U.S.

The president claimed that Pope Leo was chosen as the first American pope solely because of his presence in the White House, adding, “If I weren’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican. Leo needs to put himself together, use his common sense, stay away from the radical left, and be a great pope, not a politician. This would hurt him and, more importantly, the Catholic Church."

This rare clash between an American president and the head of the Catholic Church comes as Trump won 55 percent of the Catholic vote in the 2024 election. However, his administration has close ties to conservative Protestant leaders, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth has even credited “Jesus Christ” with victory in the Iran war.

Pope Leo XIV, who leaves for an 11-day trip to Africa on Monday, has not yet responded directly to Trump’s attacks, but his pacifist stance and criticism of the war stand in stark contrast to Trump’s brutal policies toward Iran.

The incident highlights a growing divide between Trump’s political-religious conservatism and the Vatican’s pacifist voice. Analysts say such tensions could affect millions of American Catholics and complicate Washington-Vatican diplomatic relations.