Donald Trump used his Truth Social account on Sunday night to denounce Pope Leo XIV, calling the pontiff "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy." The former president claimed the pope "talks about 'fear' of the Trump administration" while ignoring the fear experienced by the Catholic Church and other Christian groups during COVID‑19 restrictions, adding, "I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn't."
Trump said he does not want a pope who "thinks it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon" or who condemns America's attack on Venezuela, which he described as a source of drugs and criminals entering the United States. He praised his own record of "record low numbers in crime" and "the greatest stock market in history."
The former president argued that Leo's elevation was a surprise, noting, "He wasn't on any list to be pope and was only put there by the church because he was an American…If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican."
Trump concluded that Leo should "use common sense, stop catering to the radical left, and focus on being a great pope, not a politician," warning that the current approach "is hurting…the Catholic Church."
His tirade followed the pope's recent rebuke of Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilisation, which the pontiff called "truly unacceptable," and a Sunday appeal urging leaders to end bloodshed and reject a "delusion of omnipotence."
Trump's attack on Pope Leo XIV is less about theology than a personal grievance over perceived political defeat. By portraying the pope as a "weak" figure installed only because he is American, Trump seeks to diminish the Vatican's independent moral authority and reassert his own influence on global narratives.
The criticism comes after the pope condemned Trump's threat toward Iran and urged an end to the ongoing conflict, positioning the Holy See as a counter‑voice to U.S. foreign policy. Trump's response, laden with references to crime statistics and stock‑market performance, reflects a pattern of framing international criticism as attacks on his domestic achievements.
For Catholics worldwide, especially those in the United States, the exchange may deepen divisions between believers who look to the pope for moral guidance and supporters who view any papal dissent as hostile to national interests. The rhetoric could alienate faithful who feel their religious leaders are being politicised.
The episode mirrors a broader trend of former leaders using personal platforms to
