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Trump’s
Public
Attacks
on Pope
Leo XIV
Draw
Global
Condemnation
Daniel
Mercer -
National
News
Tell Us
USA News
Network
WASHINGTON/VATICAN
CITY -
President
Donald
Trump’s
recent
insults
directed
at Pope
Leo XIV
have
sparked
international
backlash,
drawing
criticism
from
religious
leaders,
foreign
governments,
and
Vatican
officials.
In a
series
of
social‑media
posts
and
off‑the‑cuff
remarks,
Trump
called
the
first
American‑born
pope
“weak on
crime”
and
“terrible
for
foreign
policy,”
while
also
questioning
the
legitimacy
of his
election
to the
papacy.
The
president’s
comments
appeared
to stem
from the
pope’s
outspoken
opposition
to the
U.S.–Israeli
war with
Iran and
his
criticism
of
American
military
actions
in
Venezuela.
Trump
suggested
the
pontiff
“likes
crime”
and
claimed
he would
not be
in the
Vatican
“if I
wasn’t
in the
White
House,”
remarks
that
analysts
described
as
unusually
personal
and
politically
charged.
Tensions
escalated
further
when
Trump
shared
an
AI‑generated
image
portraying
himself
in a
Jesus‑like
pose
healing
a sick
man. The
post
drew
swift
condemnation
from
Catholic
leaders
and
foreign
officials.
Iran’s
president
called
the
image an
insult
to both
the pope
and
Jesus,
accusing
Trump of
disrespecting
religious
figures
during a
period
of
global
conflict.
Pope
Leo,
speaking
to
reporters
aboard
the
papal
plane en
route to
Algeria,
brushed
off the
attacks
and said
he had
“no fear
of the
Trump
administration.”
He
emphasized
that his
appeals
for
peace
are
rooted
in the
Gospel
rather
than
politics
and
reiterated
that the
Church’s
mission
is to
advocate
for
reconciliation
and the
protection
of human
life. He
added
that the
Vatican
“is not
a
political
actor”
and
would
continue
speaking
out
against
war.
Catholic
leaders
in the
United
States
also
expressed
concern.
Archbishop
Paul
Coakley
said he
was
disheartened
by the
president’s
tone,
noting
that the
pope is
a
spiritual
leader,
not a
political
opponent.
Cardinal
Joseph
Tobin
warned
that the
episode
reflects
a
broader
erosion
of
respect
for
religious
authority
and a
misunderstanding
of the
papacy’s
role.
As Pope
Leo
continues
his
multi‑nation
tour of
Africa,
Vatican
officials
say he
remains
focused
on
promoting
peace
and
urging
world
leaders
to
reject
what he
has
described
as the
“delusion
of
omnipotence”
driving
global
conflict.
The
White
House
has not
issued
an
apology.
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