Pope Leo XIV said Monday he will continue to speak out against war after President Donald Trump criticized him over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. Trump later shared an image of himself with Jesus-like powers.
The pope, speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane on the way to Algeria, stated that the Vatican’s calls for peace and reconciliation come from the Gospel and are not attacks on the White House.
“To compare my message to what the president is doing shows a misunderstanding of the Gospel’s message,” Leo told The Associated Press. He added that he would persist in what he sees as the church’s mission in the world. The pope also stated he would not avoid preaching peace and that he is not afraid of the Trump administration.
Leo’s remarks came a day after Trump publicly attacked him, saying he was not “doing a very good job,” labeling him “a very liberal person,” and urging him to “stop catering to the Radical Left.”
Pope Leo: “I have no fear, neither of the Trump administration nor speaking out loudly about the message of the gospel.” pic.twitter.com/Kvmi7mRuOw
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 13, 2026
This criticism followed Leo’s warning that a “delusion of omnipotence” was contributing to the war in Iran and other conflicts. The pope clarified that his comments were not aimed at any single leader and reiterated the Gospel message: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Trump continued his criticism after returning to Washington from Florida. In a social media post, he called Leo “WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy” and stated he did not want “a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”
He reiterated this point to reporters, saying, “We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon.” Later, AP reported that Trump shared an image of himself in a biblical-style robe, laying hands on a bedridden man while light appeared to stream from his fingers, with onlookers gathered nearby.
The dispute grew as Trump moved beyond the Iran conflict and questioned Leo’s position in the Vatican. He claimed that the pope became pontiff because he was American and that church leaders thought this would help them deal with him. Trump said, “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
Pope Leo: “The message of the church, my message, the message of the gospel — blessed are the peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political or a politician. I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the gospel is meant to be abused… pic.twitter.com/EG4SwxAdHu
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 13, 2026
Leo had led an evening prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, the same day that the United States and Iran began face-to-face talks in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire, with Vice President JD Vance leading the U.S. delegation. During the service, the pope did not mention Trump or the United States, but AP reported that his comments seemed directed at officials who have celebrated U.S. military power and justified the war using religious language.
Leo has stated before that God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war. He has also called discussions of mass strikes and the destruction of “an entire civilization” “truly unacceptable.”
Catholic leaders in the United States and Italy responded to Trump’s comments. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed that he was “disheartened” and claimed the pope “is not his rival.”
The Italian Bishops’ Conference also voiced objections, stating that the pope is “not a political counterpart” but the successor of Peter, called to serve the Gospel, truth, and peace.
