Trump says he is 'not a big fan of Pope Leo' in scathing attack

Published: 2026-04-13 02:51:53 ET DJT

Published on 04/13/2026 at 02:51 am EDT - Modified on 04/13/2026 at 02:53 am EDT

STORY: :: Joint Base Andrews, Maryland / April 12, 2026

:: U.S. President Donald Trump says he is 'not a big fan of Pope Leo'

"We don't like a pope that's going to say that it's okay to have a nuclear weapon. We don't want a pope that says crime is okay in our cities. I don't like it. I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo. He's a very liberal person, and he's a man that doesn't believe in stopping crime."

"He's a man that doesn't think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world. I'm not a fan of Pope Leo."

Earlier Trump also criticized Pope Leo in a post on his Truth Social account, saying he was "weak" on crime and "terrible" for foreign policy.

Pope Leo, known for his measured rhetoric, has drawn international attention as a vocal critic of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28.

Earlier this month, the pontiff described Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization as "unacceptable" and urged "deep reflection" on the treatment of migrants under the Trump administration.

The remarks underscore ongoing tensions between the president and the pope, who have clashed over issues ranging from immigration to foreign policy.