Trump Calls Pope Leo XIV 'Weak' and 'Terrible' as Feud Over Iran War Escalates

President Trump escalated an extraordinary public feud with Pope Leo XIV on Sunday and Monday, calling the Chicago-born Catholic pontiff "weak" and "terrible" on foreign policy in a series of social media posts that drew fierce condemnation from religious leaders across denominations. The confrontation began after Pope Leo XIV characterized the ongoing U.S.-Iran war as a product of a "delusion of omnipotence" and urged world leaders with power to "choose peace" rather than wage war. Trump responded by saying the pope was "not doing a very good job" and accused him of "catering to the radical left." The feud represents an unprecedented rupture between an American president and the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The controversy deepened dramatically when Trump, 46 minutes after his social media tirade against the pope, posted an image depicting himself in biblical robes, with light emanating from his fingers as he laid hands on a patient in a scene evocative of Christ performing miracles. Catholic clergy called the image "blasphemous." Archbishop Paul Coakley said he was "disheartened" by Trump's conduct. The post was later removed from Trump's Truth Social account, but screenshots circulated widely. Congressional allies of Trump from Catholic backgrounds — including several who have been among his most steadfast supporters — issued rare public statements expressing discomfort with the imagery.

Pope Leo XIV, who was elected in April 2025 following the death of Pope Francis and became the first American-born pope in history, responded to the attacks Monday without visible alarm. Speaking to reporters at the Vatican, he said he had "no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly" about war and suffering. He emphasized that the Vatican's appeals for peace were rooted in the Gospel, not in partisan politics, and that he had no interest in debating Trump through social media. "The Church will continue to promote dialogue and reconciliation wherever men and women are suffering," the pontiff said. His measured response stood in sharp contrast to the intensity of Trump's attacks.

The political fallout in the United States has been notable. Trump won 55% of Catholic voters in the 2024 presidential election, and his relationship with American Catholic conservatives has been a pillar of his political coalition. Several prominent Catholic Republican figures, who typically avoid any public criticism of the president, issued unusually pointed statements. Evangelical leaders were similarly critical of the Christ-like imagery. Analysts noted that attacking a pope — especially an American one — carries political risks that Trump appears to have underestimated, particularly as the administration's approval ratings have already been pressured by the economic impact of the Iran war.

The clash between Trump and Pope Leo XIV reflects a broader tension within the global Catholic Church over how strongly religious leaders should speak out against military conflicts. Pope Leo has been notably outspoken since his election, visiting refugee camps in Lebanon, issuing joint statements with Orthodox Christian and Muslim leaders calling for ceasefires, and hosting a peace vigil at St. Peter's Basilica that drew tens of thousands. The Vatican has declined to take sides in the conflict between the United States and Iran, but it has consistently urged de-escalation. That position puts Leo XIV on a collision course with an American president who has repeatedly framed the Iran war as a righteous conflict — and who has shown little patience for criticism from any quarter, spiritual or secular.