Trump calls Pope Leo 'terrible' in public attack after pontiff's anti-war message

© Julia Demaree Nikhinson, AP
by FRANCE 24
April 13, 2026
2 min read

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President Donald Trump publicly attacked Pope Leo XIV as 'terrible' after the pontiff's anti-war comments.

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President Donald Trump publicly attacked Pope Leo XIV, calling the US-born pontiff "terrible" and "a very liberal person" following the Pope's recent anti-war comments. Trump's broadside came after Pope Leo XIV suggested a "delusion of omnipotence" was fueling the US-Israeli war on Iran. This marks a significant public disagreement between the sitting US President and the head of the Catholic Church. The President further criticized Pope Leo XIV as "terrible for foreign policy" in his remarks. This exchange highlights growing tensions between the White House and the Vatican regarding current US foreign policy.

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