Pope Leo XIV shot back at Donald Trump on Monday, declaring he has absolutely no fear of the White House after the president launched an extraordinary attack on the first American leader of the Catholic Church. The confrontation marks one of the most public clashes between a sitting U.S. president and a pope in modern history.
Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane as he departed for an 11-day tour of Africa, Leo told ABC News, “I have no fear of the Trump administration, nor speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel. That’s what I believe in. I am called to do what the church is called to do.”
The pope’s remarks came hours after Trump unloaded on him Sunday night via Truth Social, calling Leo “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Returning from Florida aboard Air Force One, the president continued his attacks on the tarmac, telling reporters he was “not a fan of Pope Leo” and that he thinks Leo is “a very liberal person.” Trump also claimed the pope “wasn’t on any list to be Pope” and was only elevated because he was an American, according to CNN.
What set Trump off
The tension traces back to Leo’s increasingly pointed opposition to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. On Saturday, the pontiff held a peace vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica, declaring “Enough of war.” He also suggested a “delusion of omnipotence” was fueling the conflict, a remark widely read as directed at Trump and his administration.
Earlier, Leo had called Trump’s threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight” as “truly unacceptable,” after Trump warned Iran of a catastrophic military strike. Trump had also threatened to shut down Iran’s Strait of Hormuz in separate warnings to Tehran.
Trump appeared to view Leo’s calls for peace as a direct challenge to U.S. policy. “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” he wrote on Truth Social.
The pope draws a sharp line
Leo was careful to frame his stance as rooted in religion, not politics. “We are not politicians. We do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective that he may have,” the pontiff told reporters, according to NBC News.
He also addressed the irony of Trump’s platform being the venue for the attack. “It’s ironic, the name of the site itself,” Leo said, in a dry reference to Truth Social.
On whether his peace appeals amounted to political interference, Leo was direct: “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 in the way that some people are doing.”
A historic and widening rift
While popes and U.S. presidents have clashed before, the raw tone of this exchange is unusual. Trump also had a fraught relationship with Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, calling him “disgraceful” in 2016 after Francis suggested Trump was “not a Christian.”
The tension has drawn strong reactions. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, a Trump ally, still sent a message of support to Leo for his peace mission. The Italian Bishops’ Conference pushed back, noting the pope “is not a political counterpart, but the successor of Peter, called to serve the Gospel, truth and peace.”
Meanwhile, Trump stirred additional controversy on Sunday by posting an image of himself in a biblical-style robe, appearing to perform a healing miracle. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a staunch Trump supporter, condemned the post on X, calling it “an Antichrist spirit.” The image was later removed from Trump’s page.
Leo has made peace across multiple conflicts a centerpiece of his papacy since being elected in May 2025. He has repeatedly spoken out against the war in Sudan, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the fighting in Lebanon, in addition to his strong opposition to the Iran conflict. His message on Monday left no ambiguity about his intentions going forward. “Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say, ‘There’s a better way to do this.'”
