Pope Leo XIV has made it clear that he is not afraid of President Donald Trump.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do,” Leo, 70, told reporters on Monday, April 13, after he was publicly criticized by Trump, 79.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Sunday, April 12, with a lengthy attack on Leo.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote. “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 when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart.”
Trump claimed he likes Leo’s brother Louis Martín Prevost “much better” as the social media post continued.
“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,” he added. “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country.”
Trump continued, “And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”
Trump further claimed that Leo should be “thankful” for his position.
“As everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump,” he wrote. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
He added, “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!”
When asked about the Truth Social post specifically on Monday, Leo had a pointed reply.
“It’s ironic — the name of the site itself,” Leo said. “Say no more.”
Trump and Leo have continued to clash in recent weeks. Leo hasn’t been shy when it comes to criticizing Trump’s verbal attacks on Iran amid the ongoing conflict.
Leo said on Monday that he will continue to speak out against the war.
“The things I say are not meant as attacks on anyone,” Leo said. “I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. 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.”
