Trump calls Pope Leo ‘terrible’ over Iran conflict comments

U.S. President Donald Trump has described Pope Leo XIV as “terrible for foreign policy” in a fresh attack over the Iran conflict.

In a lengthy Truth Social post on Monday, Trump wrote, “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” intensifying a growing public rift between the White House and the Vatican.

The U.S. leader criticised the pontiff’s stance on global security, particularly regarding Iran, stating, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”

He also took issue with criticism of U.S. military actions, adding, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States.”

Trump further defended his presidency, saying he was “doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do,” while accusing the Pope of undermining his leadership.

In the same post, he urged the pontiff to change course, writing, “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.”

The remarks follow recent comments by Pope Leo calling for an end to war and warning against escalating violence linked to the Iran conflict.

The Pope has been increasingly vocal about global peace efforts, placing him at odds with the Trump administration’s hardline foreign policy approach.

The exchange marks a rare and highly public confrontation between a sitting U.S. president and the head of the Catholic Church.

The Pope says he is unbothered by Trump’s comments.