13/04/2026
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13/04/2026
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WASHINGTON (AP), Apr 13: U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV, intensifying a growing rift between the two over the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
In a social media post on Sunday, Trump said the pope should “stop catering to the Radical Left,” marking an unusually direct attack on the head of the Catholic Church. Speaking to reporters after landing near Washington following a trip from Florida, Trump doubled down, saying, “We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon.”
“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job… I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” he added.
The remarks came after Pope Leo XIV condemned what he described as the “delusion of omnipotence” driving the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, urging global leaders to halt hostilities and pursue negotiations. Although the pope did not mention the United States or Trump by name, his message was widely interpreted as directed at Washington’s stance and rhetoric surrounding the conflict.
Meanwhile, Trump signaled indifference toward renewed diplomatic efforts with Tehran. Asked about the timeline for Iran’s return to negotiations amid a fragile ceasefire, he said, “I don’t care if they come back or not. If they don’t come back, I’m fine.”
Trump also claimed that during recent talks led by Vice President JD Vance, Iranian officials indicated continued ambitions to develop nuclear weapons.
“They still want it, and they made that clear the other night. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Trump asserted.
The exchange underscores deepening divisions not only between Washington and Tehran, but also between political and religious leadership over the direction and justification of the conflict.