U.S. President Donald Trump launched a sharp public attack on Pope Leo XIV (the first American-born leader of the Catholic Church) on the night of 12 April 2026, declaring he was "not a big fan" of the pontiff and accusing him of being "a very liberal person" who should "stop catering to the Radical Left." Trump made the remarks via social media while flying back to Washington from Florida, then repeated his criticism to reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The unusually direct assault on a sitting pope signals a deepening rift between the U.S. president and the Vatican, centred on disagreements over Trump's stance toward a potential war with Iran.
Mosaic News
News without borders
Monday, 13 April 2026
Trump publicly criticises Pope Leo XIV over Iran war stance[Updated]
Monday, 13 April 2026 · 1 min read
Updates
11h
Pope Leo XIV responded to Trump's criticism while aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria, saying he had "no intention to debate" the U.S. president and describing himself as "not a politician" whose message remains focused on promoting peace. Trump's Truth Social post went further than his tarmac remarks, additionally accusing the pontiff of supporting Iran's nuclear weapons programme, opposing the U.S. military operation in Venezuela in January, and meeting with associates of former President Barack Obama. Pope Leo has also made history by becoming the first pontiff to visit Algeria, a Muslim-majority country where Islam is the official religion, arriving in Algiers on Monday morning as part of an 11-day, four-country African tour that will also take him to Angola, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.
11h
Trump went further in his Truth Social post by suggesting Pope Leo was elected solely because of his American nationality, writing "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican" and claiming the conclave chose him as "the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump." When pressed by reporters to elaborate on his criticisms, Trump added: "I don't think he's doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess." The pope's Algeria visit carries personal significance beyond its historic nature, as he is scheduled to celebrate a Mass in Annaba — the city where St. Augustine lived — on Tuesday; Leo, a member of the Augustinian order since 1977, described himself as a "son of St. Augustine" in his first address as pontiff in May 2025. Human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch, EuroMed Rights, and Mena Rights Group have called on the pope to raise the issue of religious minority repression during his Algeria stay.
11h
Pope Leo XIV escalated his response to Trump's attacks on Monday, telling reporters aboard the papal plane that he has "no fear of the Trump administration" and that "the Church has a moral obligation to go against war" — adding that "the Gospel is clear" on the matter. The pope's public stand marks what observers are calling a direct collision between the Vatican and the White House, one that had been building for weeks as Leo subtly but consistently criticised both the Iran war and what he described as the manipulation of Christian messaging from the administration. Trump's original Truth Social post also cited the pope's stance on U.S. immigration policy as an additional point of contention, expanding the scope of the dispute beyond Iran alone.
7h
In a speech to political leaders at the Great Mosque of Algiers, Pope Leo XIV broadened his public challenge beyond Trump directly, blasting violations of international law by what he called "neocolonial" world powers and warning that "people and organizations that dominate others destroy the world." The pope did not name specific countries, but the remarks — his first formal address on African soil — added a pointed geopolitical dimension to his pushback. Trump, meanwhile, separately posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure, with the U.S. flag and the Statue of Liberty in the background, in the same period as his attacks on the pontiff. Leo also told reporters that the Christian message was being "abused" and said plainly: "Too many innocent people are being killed, and I think someone has to stand up and say there's a better way."
Sources
Africanews — Pope Leo XIV pushes back as Donald Trump criticism escalates ↗BBC World — Trump attacks Pope over criticism of Iran war ↗Dawn — Pope Leo says he is not afraid of Trump after US president’s broadside ↗El País — El papa León XIV responde al presidente de EE UU: “No tengo miedo a Trump. Seguiré hablando contra la guerra” ↗Folha de S.Paulo — Ap�s ser chamado de fraco, papa reage e diz que n�o tem medo de Donald Trump ↗Folha de S.Paulo — Papa Le�o 14 viajar� a quatro pa�ses da �frica nos pr�ximos dez dias ↗France24 — Pope Leo XIV begins landmark Algeria visit on first leg of Africa tour ↗Rappler — Pope Leo blasts ‘neocolonial’ conflicts after Trump criticism ↗RFI — Léon XIV répond qu'il n'a pas «peur de l'administration Trump» après les attaques du président américain ↗The Guardian — Trump calls Pope Leo ‘weak’ and ‘terrible’ in extraordinary broadside ↗The Hindu — Trump lambasts Pope Leo XIV, extending feud over Iran war with first American pontiff ↗The Hindu — Watch: Donald Trump: ‘I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo’ ↗The Hindu — Watch: U.S. President Trump criticizes Pope Leo XIV over Iran remarks ↗
Also covered by
Africanews · Al Jazeera English · BBC Arabic · BBC Arabic · BBC World · BBC World · Dawn · Dawn · Dawn · El País · El País · El País · Euronews · Folha de S.Paulo · France24 · France24 · Le Monde Afrique · Le Monde Afrique · NOS Nieuws · Premium Times Nigeria · Rappler · taz · taz · The Guardian · The Guardian · The Hindu
This article was automatically compiled by AI from the sources above. It may contain inaccuracies. Always read the original sources for the full context.