A recent spat between Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV continues and some US visitors to the Vatican back the president, while other visitors and locals stand with the Pope as it continues. In the unprecedented quarrel on social media, Trump dubbed Pope Leo as “weak on crime,” and that he is “terrible on foreign policy.” According to him, the pope was only elected because he was in the White House.
At the time of the spat, Trump shared the now-deleted AI-generated image of himself as Christ, before later deleting it. When confronted over the image, Trump said he was depicted as a doctor helping a sick man who looked remarkably like Jeffrey Epstein.
President Trump claims the viral image that was posted on Truth was not a depiction of him as Jesus Christ but was him being depicted as a doctor.
Reporter: Did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ?
Trump: I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor… pic.twitter.com/4pfSRFPdrp
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 13, 2026
Meanwhile, Trump’s words were quickly followed by those of his Vice President, JD Vance, a Catholic, who told Fox News the Vatican should “stick to morality” and church affairs and let President Trump“ stick to dictating US public policy.”
People visiting St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on Tuesday were troubled by the clash between the pope and Trump and expressed solidarity with Leo. A UK visitor, Rhoda, spoke of the spat, saying, “Trump is just out for himself. I think Leo is great and I just hope he keeps standing up to him.”
“Trump has crossed every moral border, but I am no longer surprised,” said Andries DeWinter, a choir director from Belgium. “He insisted on making America great again, but instead, he’s sinking it. Pope Leo, on the other hand, speaks with truth, value and meaning – the total opposite to Trump.”
However, a Catholic from the US spoke to the Guardian and said that while they respect the pope and the church, they stood on the side of Trump. “We want peace, but we believe he’s making the world safe,” said Susan. “He is a little arrogant, but that’s just the way he is.”
Pope Leo was elected in May 2025 and is considered to be more mild-mannered and tactful than his predecessor, Francis. Since that time, he has moved from careful stewardship, such as diplomacy and ceasefires, to taking a bolder moral tone in a bid to end wars.
Leo has increasingly slammed the US-Israeli war in Iran, along with the wider conflict in the Middle East, most particularly relating to Trump’s threat last week to wipe out “a whole civilization” in Iran. Meanwhile, Leo isn’t alone in his anti-war rhetoric, as the church’s cardinals have also made harsh criticisms.
In an interview with CBS on Monday night, Trump confirmed that he had lashed out at the pope after watching an interview with three influential US cardinals on 60 Minutes. In the interview, the cardinals called out his policies and backed up the pope’s remarks.
“He’s wrong on the issues,” Trump said. “I don’t think he should be getting into politics. I think he probably learned that from this.”
However, the first American pope likely won’t back down, and he responded to Trump’s attack, saying he doesn’t fear the Trump administration and that he will continue to speak out against war, not just in Iran but around the world.
The spat between Pope Leo and Trump generated much solidarity for the pontiff from European politicians, whether left or right-wing. Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni, who is one of the president’s main allies in the EU, said Trump’s words towards Leo were “unacceptable,” which led to a strong rebuke from Trump.
🚨 WOW! President Trump just went OFF on Pope Leo
“I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!”
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and… pic.twitter.com/ch9bIfVjqQ
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 13, 2026
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Tuesday, the president said Meloni is the one who is “unacceptable,” over her unwillingness to join the Iran war. “I’m shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,” Trump said.
Walter Colantini, a shopkeeper near the Vatican, told the Guardian that Leo is different from his predecessors, but that he is likely more effective. “Leo was chosen for the role because he’s the right person to lead the church during this period,” he added. “He needs to act in order to find peace in a world where there is war. I really like him – from what he says in his declarations and homilies, he’s a pope who uses his brain.”
