Pope Leo has said he has “no fear” of the Trump administration and will continue to speak out against war after the US president launched an unusual and scathing attack over his stance on the Iran conflict.
Donald Trump accused the pontiff of being “WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy” in a Truth Social post, later telling reporters he was “not a big fan”.
The Pope told reporters en route to Algeria that he did not want to get into a debate with Trump but would continue to promote peace.
He has been a staunch critic of the Iran war, calling Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilisation “unacceptable” and calling for him to find an “off-ramp” to end the conflict.
In general, it is rare for a pope to directly address statements by world leaders.
There are more than 70 million Catholics in the US, about 20% of the population. They include Trump’s Vice-President JD Vance.
Trump’s remarks came as the pontiff embarked on an 11-day trip to Africa, his second major foreign trip since being elected last year.
