US President Donald Trump on Monday refused to apologise to Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, after publicly criticising the Pope’s views on Iran and domestic policy, further straining relations between Washington and the Vatican.
“I won’t apologise to Pope Leo. I think he’s very weak on crime and other things,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
He added, “Pope Leo said wrong things. He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result. You have hundreds of millions of people dead, and it’s not going to happen, so I can’t. I think he’s very weak on crime and other things, so I’m not… I mean, he went public, I’m just responding to Pope Leo, and you know his brother is a big MAGA person and he’s a great guy, Louis.”
The remarks followed a series of sharp attacks by Trump, including a lengthy post on Truth Social in which he questioned the Pope’s leadership and foreign policy stance.
In the post, Trump claimed that Pope Leo was “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” criticising his calls for dialogue amid tensions with Iran.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID,” the post read.
Trump also accused the pontiff of being soft on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and criticised his stance on US actions abroad. He defended his administration’s record on crime and the economy and urged the Pope to “focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.”
He added, “Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!”
Speaking later at Joint Base Andrews, Trump intensified his criticism, stating, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess… I am not a fan of Pope Leo.”
The exchange marks a rare public rift between the White House and the Vatican, with Pope Leo XIV having repeatedly raised concerns about US military interventions and humanitarian issues.
Responding to the comments, the Pope sought to distance himself from political confrontation. Speaking to reporters during a flight to Algeria, he said, “I think that the people who read will be able to draw their own conclusions: I am not a politician, I have no intention of entering into a debate with Donald Trump.”
He added, “Rather, let us always seek peace and put an end to wars. I am not afraid of the Trump administration.”
The pontiff reiterated that his role remains rooted in faith and warned against using religious teachings for political purposes. He said he would continue to advocate for peace and dialogue.
The comments came as part of his 10-day visit to North Africa, which he described as “truly a blessing” and an opportunity to promote interreligious dialogue and fraternity.
Highlighting the historical significance of the trip, Pope Leo XIV referenced St. Augustine, a native of modern-day Algeria, calling him a bridge for dialogue between communities. The visit marks the first time a pontiff has travelled to the saint’s homeland.
The trip focuses on strengthening ties in a region where Catholics form a small minority, even as tensions between political and religious leadership continue to unfold globally.
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