Tensions between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV intensified this week following remarks made during a phone interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on the Salem News Network.
Speaking on May 5, Trump sharply criticized the pope’s stance on the war with Iran and his broader public comments. Referring to the case of Jimmy Lai, a Catholic pro-democracy advocate imprisoned in China, Trump said, “Well, the pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon” than about Lai, according to LifeSiteNews.
He continued his criticism, warning of potential consequences: “I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people,” he added. “But I guess if it’s up to the pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
The president’s remarks echo earlier statements in which he argued that he did not want “a pope who thinks it’s ok for Iran to have a nuclear weapon” and urged the pontiff to “focus on being a great Pope, not a politician,” according to LifeSiteNews.
Pope Leo XIV has responded by reaffirming the spiritual foundation of his mission and rejecting political framing. “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 called to do, what the Church is called to do,” the pope said, according to LifeSiteNews.
He emphasized that the Church’s role differs from that of political leaders, adding: “We are not politicians. We are not dealing with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel: ‘blessed are the peacemakers,’ is a message the world needs to hear.”
The exchange highlights a growing divide between political and spiritual perspectives on issues of war, peace, and religious witness in global affairs.
The remarks come just days before Marco Rubio, a Catholic, is scheduled to meet with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, a meeting now taking place amid heightened public scrutiny.
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