This is real. The president attacked the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics because the Pope suggested that bombing Iran might not be a great idea. That’s the whole story. Pope Leo XIV condemned the “delusion of omnipotence” fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran during an evening prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica. He didn’t name Trump. He didn’t name the United States. He called for peace. Trump responded by going to war with the Vatican.
What Trump Said
Flying back to Washington from Florida on April 13, Trump posted a lengthy Truth Social attack on Pope Leo XIV. Then he continued on the tarmac for reporters. The highlights:
• “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy”
• “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon”
• “He’s a very liberal person” • “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo”
• “He likes crime, I guess”
• “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job”
• “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican”
• Pope Leo “should get his act together, use common sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a great pope, not a politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church.”
Read that last one again. The President of the United States told the Pope he’s hurting the Catholic Church. The man who held a Bible upside down in front of a church after tear-gassing peaceful protesters is giving the Vicar of Christ career advice.
What the Pope Said
Pope Leo XIV — the first American pope — had presided over a Saturday evening prayer at St. Peter’s Basilica, the same day the U.S. and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. The Pope spoke of the “delusion of omnipotence” fueling the war. He didn’t name Trump or the U.S. But the message was unmistakable, directed at officials who “boasted of military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.”
The morning after Trump’s tirade, Pope Leo responded:
“I have no fear of either the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel. That’s what I believe I am called to do.” — Pope Leo XIV, April 13, 2026
The Pope said he had no “intention to debate” with the president but would not stop calling for peace. He departed the next day for an 11-day trip to Africa.
The Supporting Cast
JD Vance, a Catholic convert who recently published a book about his faith, told the Vatican to “stick to matters of morality.” The Vice President of the United States telling the Pope to stay in his lane on morality while defending a war that has killed thousands of civilians. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement saying he was “disheartened” by Trump’s comments: “Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously urged Americans to pray for victory “in the name of Jesus Christ.” When Trump was asked whether God approved of the war, he said: “I do, because God is good.” This administration has claimed divine endorsement for a war the Pope says violates the message of the Gospel. And when the Pope said so, the president called him weak on crime.
The Numbers
Trump won 55% of Catholic voters in 2024, according to AP VoteCast. He just called their spiritual leader a liberal who is terrible at his job. Before the Iran war, Pope Leo XIV had already described Trump’s threat to wipe out “an entire civilization” as “truly unacceptable.” Trump’s response was to escalate. The President of the United States is in a public feud with the Pope. Over a war most Americans oppose. This is where we are.
Sources
- ABC News / AP: Full Trump quotes from Truth Social and tarmac; Pope Leo prayer service and response; Archbishop Coakley statement; AP VoteCast Catholic voter data. April 13, 2026.
- Euronews: Comprehensive Trump quotes including “if I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican”; Hegseth prayer comments; Vance Catholic conversion context; “he likes crime, I guess” tarmac quote. April 13, 2026.
- NBC News / TODAY: Pope Leo “I have no fear of the Trump administration” response; Garrett Haake report. April 13, 2026.
- BBC News: American reactions to feud; JD Vance “stick to matters of morality”; AI Jesus image controversy; blockade context. April 14, 2026.
Related coverage