President Trump lashed out at Pope Leo XIV in a prolonged social media publish Sunday night time, calling the pontiff “WEAK on Crime, and horrible for Overseas Coverage.”
Leo has been crucial of the battle in Iran and has beforehand made statements at odds with different priorities of the Trump administration, comparable to the continuing crackdown on unlawful immigration.
“I do not need a Pope who thinks it is OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I do not need a Pope who thinks it is horrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Nation that was sending huge quantities of Medication into the USA and, even worse, emptying their prisons, together with murderers, drug sellers, and killers, into our Nation,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Leo had referred to as Mr. Trump’s risk to fully destroy Iranian civilization “actually unacceptable,” and inspired folks to “contact the authorities — political leaders, congressmen — to ask them, inform them to work for peace and to reject battle, all the time.”
On Saturday, whereas he didn’t point out Mr. Trump by identify, Leo mentioned throughout a prayer vigil for peace at St. Peter’s Basilica, “Sufficient with the idolatry of self and cash! Sufficient with the show of pressure! Sufficient with battle! True power is manifested in serving life.”
Elisabetta Trevisan – Vatican Media by way of Vatican Pool / Getty Pictures
He additionally urged an finish to the battle via negotiations, saying, “Definitely, the leaders of countries have compelling tasks. We cry out to them: cease! That is the time for peace! Sit on the tables of dialogue and mediation, not on the tables the place rearmament is deliberate and loss of life is deliberated!”
The pope additionally criticized the battle on Friday in a publish on social media, writing, “God doesn’t bless any battle. Anybody who’s a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, isn’t on the facet of those that as soon as wielded the sword and at this time drop bombs.”
And in a Palm Sunday homily final month, Leo additionally appeared to criticize Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying that Jesus “doesn’t hearken to the prayers of those that wage battle.”
Mr. Trump additionally claimed Sunday that Leo wouldn’t have been elected pope if it weren’t for him, writing that he “was solely put there by the Church as a result of he was an American, they usually thought that might be the easiest way to take care of President Donald J. Trump.”
“I do not need a Pope who criticizes the President of the USA,” Mr. Trump wrote.
“Leo ought to get his act collectively as Pope, use Widespread Sense, cease catering to the Radical Left, and deal with being a Nice Pope, not a Politician. It is hurting him very badly and, extra importantly, it is hurting the Catholic Church!” the president mentioned.
Mr. Trump repeated a number of of his claims to reporters Sunday night time after arriving again in Washington, D.C., saying, “We do not like a pope who says it is OK to have a nuclear weapon.”
“I do not assume he is doing an excellent job. He likes crime, I assume,” Mr. Trump mentioned, including, “He is a really liberal individual.”
