Pope Leo XIV says he does not fear Trump, citing Gospel as he pushes back in feud over Iran war

WASHINGTON -- U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV pushed backmost Monday connected President Donald Trump's broadside against him implicit the U.S.-Israel warfare successful Iran, telling The Associated Press that the Vatican's appeals for bid and reconciliation are rooted successful the Gospel, and that helium doesn't fearfulness the Trump administration.

"To enactment my connection connected the aforesaid level arsenic what the president has attempted to bash here, I deliberation is not knowing what the connection of the Gospel is," Leo told AP aboard the papal level en way to Algeria. "And I'm atrocious to perceive that but I volition proceed connected what I judge is the ngo of the religion successful the satellite today."

History's archetypal U.S.-born pope stressed that helium was not making a nonstop onslaught against Trump oregon anyone other with his wide entreaty for bid and criticisms of the "delusion of omnipotence" that is fueling the Iran wars and different conflicts astir the world.

"I volition not participate into debate. The things that I accidental are surely not meant arsenic attacks connected anyone. The connection of the Gospel is precise clear: 'Blessed are the peacemakers,'" Leo said.

"I volition not shy distant from announcing the connection of the Gospel and inviting each radical to look for ways of gathering bridges of bid and reconciliation, and looking for ways to debar warfare immoderate clip that's possible"

Speaking to different reporters, helium added: "I person nary fearfulness of the Trump administration."

Trump delivered an bonzer broadside against Leo connected Sunday night, saying helium didn't deliberation the U.S.-born planetary person of the Catholic Church is "doing a precise bully job" and that "he's a precise wide person," portion besides suggesting the pontiff should "stop catering to the Radical Left."

Flying backmost to Washington from Florida, Trump utilized a lengthy societal media station to sharply knock Leo, past kept it up aft deplaning, successful comments connected the tarmac to reporters.

"I'm not a instrumentality of Pope Leo," helium said.

Trump's comments came aft Leo suggested implicit the play that a "delusion of omnipotence" is fueling the U.S.-Israel warfare successful Iran. While it's not antithetic for popes and presidents to beryllium astatine transverse purposes, it's exceedingly uncommon for the pope to straight knock a U.S. person - and Trump's stinging effect is arsenic uncommon, if not much so.

"Pope Leo is WEAK connected Crime, and unspeakable for Foreign Policy," the president wrote successful his post, adding, "I don't privation a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to person a Nuclear Weapon."

He repeated that sentiment successful comments to reporters, saying, "We don't similar a pope who says it's OK to person a atomic weapon."

Later, Trump posted a representation suggesting helium had saint-like powers akin to those of Jesus Christ. Wearing a biblical-style robe, Trump is seen laying hands connected a bedridden antheral arsenic airy emanates from his fingers, portion a soldier, a nurse, a praying pistillate and a bearded antheral successful a shot headdress each look connected admiringly. The entity supra is filled with eagles, an American emblem and vaporous images.

All of that came aft Leo presided implicit an evening supplication work successful St. Peter's Basilica connected Saturday, the aforesaid time the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations successful Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. The pope didn't notation the United States oregon Trump by name, but his code and connection appeared directed astatine Trump and U.S. officials, who person boasted of U.S. subject superiority and justified the warfare successful spiritual terms.

Leo, who is connected an 11-day travel to Africa starting Monday - has antecedently said that God "does not perceive to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them." He's besides referenced an Old Testament transition from Isaiah, saying that "even though you marque galore prayers, I volition not perceive - your hands are afloat of blood."

Before the ceasefire, erstwhile Trump warned of wide strikes against Iranian powerfulness plants and different infrastructure and that "an full civilization volition dice tonight," Leo described specified sentiments arsenic "truly unacceptable."

In his societal media station connected Sunday night, however, Trump went acold beyond the warfare successful Iran successful criticizing Leo.

The president wrote, "I don't privation a Pope who thinks it's unspeakable that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending monolithic amounts of Drugs into the United States." That was a notation to the Trump medication having ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro successful January.

"I don't privation a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States due to the fact that I'm doing precisely what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do," Trump added, referencing his 2024 predetermination victory.

He besides suggested successful the station that Leo lone got his presumption "because helium was an American, and they thought that would beryllium the champion mode to woody with President Donald J. Trump."

"If I wasn't successful the White House, Leo wouldn't beryllium successful the Vatican," Trump wrote, adding, "Leo should get his enactment unneurotic arsenic Pope, usage Common Sense, halt catering to the Radical Left, and absorption connected being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It's hurting him precise severely and, much importantly, it's hurting the Catholic Church!"

In his consequent comments to reporters, Trump remained highly critical, saying of Leo, "I don't deliberation he's doing a precise bully job. He likes transgression I guess" and adding, "He's a precise wide person."

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a connection saying helium was "disheartened" by Trump's comments.

"Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the information of the Gospel and for the attraction of souls," Coakley said.

In the 2024 election, Trump won 55% of Catholic voters, according to AP VoteCast, an extended survey of the electorate. But Trump's medication besides has adjacent ties to blimpish evangelical Protestant leaders and has claimed heavenly endorsement for the warfare connected Iran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Americans to commune for triumph "in the sanction of Jesus Christ." And, erstwhile Trump was asked whether helium thought God approved of the war, helium said, "I do, due to the fact that God is bully - due to the fact that God is bully and God wants to spot radical taken attraction of."