On Sunday, President Donald Trump unleashed a scathing critique on his social media platform, Truth Social, targeting Pope Leo XIV. He labeled the Pope as "weak on crime" and "terrible at foreign affairs" amid escalating tensions between the White House and the Vatican.
The rift has been brewing for weeks and intensified after the Pope deemed Trump's threat to destroy Iran unless they reopened the Strait of Hormuz as "unacceptable," according to Rome Reports. Tensions were further fueled following a private meeting on April 9 between the pontiff and David Axelrod, a Democratic strategist and former adviser to Barack Obama.
Trump directly attacked this meeting, calling Axelrod "a left-wing loser" and accusing him of wanting churchgoers and clergy arrested during the pandemic.
"I don't want a Pope who thinks it's okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Trump stated, adding that he also doesn't want "a Pope who thinks it was terrible for America to attack Venezuela, a country that was sending massive amounts of drugs to the United States."
In one of the most striking parts of his message, Trump questioned the legitimacy of Leo XIV's papacy: "Leo should be grateful because, as everyone knows, it was a shocking surprise. He wasn't on any list to be Pope, and the Church only put him there because he was American, thinking it was the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump."
He even claimed, "If I weren't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican."
Conversely, Trump praised the Pope's brother, Louis Prevost, characterizing him as "all MAGA": "I like his brother Louis much more because Louis gets it, and Leo doesn't!"
According to Latinus, Louis Prevost has stirred controversy since May 2025 due to his public affinity with Trump and the MAGA movement, even declaring to the EFE agency, "You can't come here and take advantage. If you want to come, do it legally. Don't come and be a leech."
Trump also dismissed the Pope's criticisms of his presidency, asserting that he is doing exactly what he was elected to do "in a landslide" and accusing the pontiff of harming the Catholic Church by acting like a politician.
Pope Leo XIV is Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago in 1955, who became the first American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.
Since his election, the relationship with the Trump administration has been fraught: the Pope condemned the U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, expressed concern over the military operation that captured Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, and called for dialogue on Cuba in February of that same year.
On April 11, two days before Trump's attack, Leo XIV held a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter's Square.
Trump concluded his message with a direct warning to the Pope: "Leo should get his act together as Pope, use common sense, stop catering to the radical left, and focus on being a great Pope, not a politician. He's hurting himself and, more importantly, he's hurting the Catholic Church!"
Understanding the Trump vs. Pope Leo XIV Conflict
Why did Trump criticize Pope Leo XIV?
Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV for being "weak on crime" and "terrible at foreign affairs," specifically highlighting disagreements over Iran and Venezuela policies.
What was the catalyst for the tensions between Trump and the Vatican?
Tensions escalated after the Pope called Trump's threat to Iran "unacceptable" and following a private meeting between the Pope and Democratic strategist David Axelrod.
Who is Pope Leo XIV?
Pope Leo XIV is Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago in 1955, and he became the first American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church in May 2025.