President Donald Trump escalated his feud with Pope Leo over the war in Iran on Monday, accusing the pontiff of taking an unacceptable stance on Iran’s nuclear program and the country’s treatment of protesters.
Trump and the pope have often been at odds with each other. He refused to join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ and has neglected to visit the U.S.
He has also criticized the administration’s mass deportation push and broader foreign policy.
But most recently, Trump and the head of the Catholic Church have fallen out over Trump’s vastly unpopular war in Iran.
In remarks on Monday, Trump questioned the pope’s position on Tehran, arguing that allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon would pose a global threat with catastrophic consequences, including for “Italians and Catholics around the world.”
“Why does the pope think it is fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon and to kill 42,000 unarmed protesters?” Trump said in an interview.
“This is one of the most important wars. I said to the pope you can’t allow them to have a nuclear weapon because they will use it and millions of people will be dead, including Italians and Catholics around the world.”
“And you can’t allow a country to kill 42,000 unarmed protesters, many of which were young people who they hanged from a crane in a public square.”
It comes after President Trump publicly lashed out at the pope in a furious 344-word Truth Social rant, branding Leo “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy” after he criticized Trump’s war in Iran.
Trump also falsely claimed the pope said Iran can have a nuclear weapon. “I’m not fighting with him. The pope made a statement. He says, Iran can have a nuclear weapon. I say Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told CNN.
There is no record of Pope Leo ever suggesting Iran should be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
In fact, he has repeatedly said the opposite—consistently calling for nuclear disarmament and warning against the dangers of nuclear escalation.
Leo fired back at Trump’s comments, saying he “has no fear” of the administration and would continue to “speak loudly” against what he described as a war fueled by a “delusion of omnipotence.”
“I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do,” Leo said.
The White House has been reached for further comment.
