Trump attacks Pope Leo in a sharp public rebuke after the pontiff criticised his foreign policy and immigration stance. The latest clash opened a new front in tensions between the US president and the head of the Catholic Church.
In a post on Truth Social late Sunday, Trump called Pope Leo “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.” He also said the pontiff should “get his act together as Pope” and later told reporters he was “not a big fan” of him. The comments followed Pope Leo’s criticism of the US-Israeli war on Iran and his earlier objections to the Trump administration’s approach to immigration.
Pope Leo, the first US-born pope, has emerged as a vocal critic of the war on Iran that began on February 28. He described Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilisation as “truly unacceptable.”
In a Palm Sunday speech in St. Peter’s Square, the pope also said God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have their “hands full of blood.” He called the conflict in Iran “atrocious” and urged Trump to find an “off-ramp” to reduce the violence.
On immigration, Leo has urged the United States to examine how it treats migrants. Last year, he questioned whether support for harsh immigration policies aligns with the Catholic Church’s pro-life teachings.
Trump also criticised Leo over nuclear weapons and suggested that the Church chose him as pope because he is American. The Vatican did not immediately respond to a request for comment
Trump attacks Pope Leo XIV: "I don't think he's doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess. … I don't like it. I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo." pic.twitter.com/ZIz4m19eyz
— FactPost (@factpostnews) April 13, 2026Speaking to reporters, Trump said Leo was “a very liberal person” and claimed he did not believe in stopping crime. Those remarks echoed the president’s long-running argument that the US must curb immigration from developing countries to reduce crime. The exchange highlights how religion, migration and foreign policy are increasingly overlapping in public political debate.
Read: Pope Leo XIV Denounces War in Iran and Urges Peace
The dispute also recalls Trump’s rocky relationship with Pope Francis. During Trump’s first presidential campaign, Francis criticised his immigration policy proposals and suggested he was “not a Christian.” Trump had responded at the time by calling Francis “disgraceful.” The latest clash with Pope Leo suggests tensions between Trump and the Vatican remain deeply rooted, especially on issues of war, migration and moral leadership.
