Pope Leo XIV Responds to Criticism from US President Trump, States He Is Not Afraid
Pope Leo XIV stated that he is not afraid of the US government amid criticism from President Donald Trump. In a statement to journalists in Algeria on Monday (13/4/2026), the leader of the Catholic Church reaffirmed his commitment to spreading the Gospel's message, without explicitly mentioning the US-Israel war against Iran. Previously, on Saturday (11/4/2026), the Pope had called for an end to the conflict during a peace prayer at the Vatican.
President Trump responded by calling the Pope "weak on evil" in a social media post on Sunday (12/4/2026) evening, and refused to apologize despite pressure from his Catholic allies. Trump reiterated his opposition to the possibility of Iran possessing nuclear weapons, while Pope Leo referred to "delusions of omnipotence" as a catalyst for war.
Pope Leo XIV, who was appointed in May 2025 as the first American Pope, has consistently called for peace in various global conflicts since the beginning of his leadership. He has highlighted the civil war in Sudan, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and disputes in Lebanon and the Middle East, including the US-Israel attacks on Iran.
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