United States

Trump attacks Leo XIV: 'The Pope is wrong, I have nothing to apologise for'

The US president criticises the pontiff for his policies on crime and war, generating an unprecedented rift with the Vatican

13 April 2026aggiornato alle 11:45

Combo con Donand Trump a sinistra - il presidente Usa fotografato mentre parla con i giornalisti dopo lo sbarco dell’Air Force One, il 12 aprile 2026, presso la base militare di Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) - e Papa Leone XIV a destra parla ai giornalisti mentre sta volando ad Algeri il 13 aprile 2026 (ANSA/ AFP / POOL /ALBERTO PIZZOLI)

3' min read

Translated by AI

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Key points

Trump's attack on the Pope

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

"I am not afraid of the Trump administration. I will continue to speak out loud about the message of the Gospel, the one for which the Church works". Thus, as reported by Vatican media, Pope Leo XIV responded to US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on the flight to Algiers.

"I do not look at my role as a politician, I am not a politician, I do not want to get into a debate with him," the Pontiff remarked, in reference to the US president. "I do not think that the message of the Gospel should be abused as some are doing. I continue to speak out loudly against war, trying to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism with states to seek solutions to problems. Too many people are suffering today, too many innocents have been killed and I think someone has to stand up and say there is a better way".

Oggi inizia il Pontificato di Leone XIV

Trump's attack on the Pope

Donald Trump on the Italian night had fired back at Pope Leo, the first American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church. Now, the US president adds that "there is nothing to apologise for", because the Pope "said things that are wrong".

An unprecedented attack, marking an unimaginable rift between the White House and the Vatican. In a long and very harsh post on Truth, while still on Air Force One returning from Florida, the US president called Leo a "weak on crime and lousy on foreign policy".

In God We Trump?

"He talks about the fear towards the Trump administration, but he doesn't mention the fear that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian organisations, felt during the Covid, when priests, ministers of worship and anyone else were being arrested for holding religious services," the tycoon pressed, referring to recent statements by the pontiff who condemned the war during a special prayer vigil in St. Peter's Vatican Basilica at the same time that the US and Iran were holding peace talks, which later failed, in Pakistan.

"I much prefer his brother Louis because he is totally Maga. He has it all figured out," Trump insisted, accusing Pope Leo of "deeming it acceptable for Iran to possess the nuclear weapon".

"I don't want a pope who finds it terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a country that was sending huge quantities of drugs to the United States and, even worse, was emptying its prisons by pouring murderers, drug dealers, and violent criminals into our country," the tycoon attacked again.

Thielogia del Trumpismo

"And I don't want a pope criticising the American president because I am doing exactly what I was elected to do, with a landslide victory, which is to bring crime to an all-time low and create the greatest stock market in history."

The American president even claimed credit for the election of Louis Prevost as pontiff: "Leo should be grateful to me because, as everyone knows, his nomination was a puzzling surprise. He was not on any list of papabili andwas chosen by the Church solely because he was American; in fact, it was felt that that was the best way to handle the relationship with President Donald J. Trump. If I were not in the White House, Leo would not be in the Vatican'.

Unfortunately,' Trump continued, 'Leone's attitude, too weak on crime and nuclear weapons, does not sit well with me at all.

Nor do I like the fact that he meets Obama sympathisers like David Axelrod (former advisor to Barack Obama, ndr) a left-wing loser, one of those who would have liked to have seen churchgoers and clergy members arrested."

"Leo," the US president insisted, "should get his act together in his role as Pope, use common sense, stop pandering to the radical left, and focus on being a Great Pope rather than a politician. This behaviour is causing him very serious harm and, more importantly, he is damaging the Catholic Church!", Trump concluded.