President Donald Trump has a lot to say about Pope Leo XIV. The 79-year-old harshly criticized the Vatican’s leader, calling him “weak” and “terrible.”
The president said the pope was “not doing a good job” and urged him to “stop catering to the radical left” while speaking to reporters. Trump described Leo as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” adding he would prefer a pope who takes a stronger stand against nuclear threats.
Wearing a red hat, Donald Trump allegedly looked frustrated as he explained he does not like a pope who acts out of fear. He also referenced cases involving Catholic priests arrested around the world, often for child abuse, sexual misconduct, or other controversies.
“Leo should get his act together as Pope, 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!” Trump said.
President Trump on Pope Leo: “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess.” pic.twitter.com/NI2wyApUbs
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 13, 2026
According to The Guardian, Trump further said, ” I don’t like it, I am not a big fan of Pope Leo,” and publicly slammed his liberal stance. Leo, who is the first pope from the Augustinian order, had previously condemned Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policies and mass deportation raids on social media.
According to sources, the pope also supported the “Black Lives Matter” movement after the tragic killing of George Floyd, an African-American man who died after an encounter with a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, 2020.
Furthermore, Donald Trump’s remarks came after Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican’s first American pope, spoke against war and urged leaders to avoid violence following U.S.-Israel airstrikes on Iran that began on February 28. More than 2,500 people across Lebanon and Iran have been killed, including three Lebanese journalists.
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The pontiff also said God does not accept the prayer “of those who wage war” and condemned “the imperialist occupation of the world.” The Chicago native addressed peace and worship during his Palm Sunday address ahead of Easter on April 5, 2026.
Even though he did not name anyone directly while speaking about avoiding conflict and promoting peace, it was clear who he meant. While disagreements between leaders on political issues are not new, such direct jabs at the head of the Catholic Church are very unusual.
The relationship between Pope Leo and Donald Trump went downhill after he was elected on May 8, 2025, and the Pentagon had issues with his inaugural State of the World Address. Leo was reportedly invited to the White House to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2025, but he chose not to go.
Meanwhile, netizens took to X following Trump’s stark remarks about the pope, and they had a series of mixed reactions. While some users called the pope powerless compared to Donald Trump and labeled him a “disappointment,” others slammed the 79-year-old’s choice of words for him.
“Trump is beefing with the pope now”, one user added. Another wrote, “How insulting. Now Trump wants to tell you how to worship.” A third said, “Seventy million Catholics in the U.S., and the president disses the Pope.”
Pope leo is powerless compared to trump lol
— 420 Weed Stoner Groyper (@420groyp) April 13, 2026
Meanwhile, the criticism came after Vice President JD Vance delivered grim updates from Islamabad, Pakistan, announcing that negotiations with Iran had failed.
The 41-year-old called it “bad news” on Saturday, causing widespread concerns. He further announced that Iran had rejected U.S. terms following 21 hours of back-and-forth negotiations.
