Adedokun Waliyu 
US President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday that he is “not a big fan” of Pope Leo XIV, after the global leader of Catholics made a plea for peace amid the war in the Middle East.
The 70-year-old American pope had publicly urged leaders to end the violence, saying: “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
“I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo. He’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime,” Trump said.
He also accused the pontiff of “toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon.”
Trump later reinforced his remarks in a social media post, saying he did not want a pope “who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” he added.
The president further claimed that Leo had only been elected because he was American, suggesting it was seen as a way to deal with his administration.
Trump also shared an AI-generated image depicting himself in a religious setting, continuing a pattern of similar posts in the past.
Rejecting A Rift
Despite the sharp comments, both Washington and the Vatican have rejected reports of a serious rift.
A Vatican official dismissed claims that a senior Pentagon figure had confronted the Church’s envoy to the United States over the pope’s criticism of US policies.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said reports about the meeting were inaccurate.
However, differences remain between the Holy See and the White House, particularly over US policies such as mass deportation — which the pope has described as “inhuman” — and the use of military force in regions including the Middle East.
Earlier, Trump had made strong statements regarding Iran, warning of severe consequences, which the pope described as “truly unacceptable” while urging a return to dialogue.
The pope had initially welcomed news of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran as a “sign of real hope,” but talks held in Islamabad ended without agreement.
