Trump attacks Pope Leo over crime and foreign policy

April 13, 2026

Washington: US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV in a lengthy social media post, calling him “weak on crime” and criticizing his views on foreign policy, Iran, and US domestic issues.

“Pope Leo is weak on crime and bad for foreign policy,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, further escalating tensions between the White House and the Vatican.

Targeting COVID Restrictions and Iran

In the post, Trump alleged that the Pope criticizes his government but does not mention restrictions on religious gatherings during COVID-19.

“He talks about the Trump administration’s ‘fear,’ but doesn’t mention the fear that priests and others were being arrested for holding church services during COVID,” Trump wrote.

He also questioned the Pope’s stance on Iran.

“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons,” he said.

Trump defends US policies

Trump defended US actions abroad, including Venezuela, linking them to drugs and crime.

“I don’t want a Pope who says the US was wrong to attack Venezuela, which was sending massive amounts of drugs into our country,” he wrote.

In the post, he also made personal comments and compared the Pope to his brother.

“I like his brother Louis more because he’s a MAGA supporter,” Trump said.

Growing Tensions Between the White House and the Vatican

Trump also touted his presidential accomplishments and claimed that the Pope’s election was linked to his presence.

These statements clearly reflect the growing distance between Trump and the Vatican, where the two sides hold divergent views on issues such as war, diplomacy, immigration, and domestic policies.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born Pope, has recently called for restraint and dialogue against war and global tensions.