Trump attacks Pope over criticism of Iran war

Trump Criticizes Pope for Stance on Iran Conflict and Immigration

President Donald Trump recently took a sharp and unconventional critique of Pope Leo, focusing on the pontiff’s views on US immigration and the ongoing war with Iran. In a post on Truth Social, Trump labeled the Pope as “lax on crime and ineffective in foreign affairs,” later clarifying to journalists that he was “not a big fan” of the leader. The Pope, known for his firm opposition to the US military campaign against Iran, had previously called Trump’s claim of destroying Iranian civilization “truly unacceptable” and urged the president to seek a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

Pope Questions Trump’s Immigration Approach

The Pope also challenged Trump’s stringent immigration policies, suggesting they might not align with the Catholic Church’s commitment to life. Trump’s remarks came during the Pope’s 11-day African tour, his second major international visit since taking office. In a Sunday post, the president remarked that the Pope “should get his act together,” implying he was “weak on nuclear weapons,” a reference to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly,” said Massimo Faggioli, a scholar quoted by Reuters, highlighting the intensity of Trump’s comments.

Trump further claimed the Pope was elected “because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump.” He added, “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.” When asked to elaborate, Trump stated, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess.” He also described the Pope as a “liberal person” who “doesn’t believe in stopping crime” and “doesn’t believe we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.”

The Pope has consistently spoken out against global violence, emphasizing the need for peace. During an Easter address, he noted that people had become desensitized to conflict, urging leaders to “choose peace” instead of war. “Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace,” he said, without naming specific nations. His criticism of Trump’s Iran remarks, which declared that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” was described as “truly unacceptable” by the Pope.