Trump blasts Pope Leo as weak on crime, foreign policy

TL;DR

President Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social, calling him weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy.
Trump claimed credit for the first U.S.-born pope's election and said he caters to the radical left.
The feud escalates tensions over the Iran war, risking a split with conservative Catholics.

The story at a glance

President Donald Trump sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV in a lengthy Truth Social post on Sunday, labeling the Chicago-born pontiff weak on crime, terrible on foreign policy, and too liberal. The attack followed the pope's repeated condemnations of the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, including Trump's threats to destroy Iranian civilization. Pope Leo responded Monday by saying he has no fear of the Trump administration and will keep speaking out for peace.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/12/trump-criticizes-pope-leo)[[2]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/13/pope-leo-president-trump-feud)

Key points

Trump wrote that Pope Leo is "WEAK on crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy," adding he would not have become pope without Trump's influence.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/12/trump-criticizes-pope-leo)
The president urged Leo to "stop catering to the Radical Left" and focus on being a great pope, not a politician.[[3]](https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-criticizes-pope-leo-accuses-him-of-catering-to-radical-left-2cfb5509)
Pope Leo, the first American pontiff, has criticized the Iran war as fueled by a "delusion of omnipotence" and called Trump's threats "unacceptable."[[4]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/07/pope-leo-denounce-trump-iran-threat)
Leo told reporters he has "no fear of the Trump administration" and his peace appeals are rooted in the Gospel.[[2]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/13/pope-leo-president-trump-feud)
Church observers call the public spat unprecedented between a U.S. president and pope.[[2]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/13/pope-leo-president-trump-feud)
Trump later told reporters on the tarmac, "I'm not a fan of Pope Leo," and doubled down on his views.[[5]](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/13/donald-trump-pope-leo)

Details and context

The clash builds on months of friction, with Pope Leo repeatedly targeting Trump's Iran policy—from invoking a "God of war" to urging Americans to contact Congress against the conflict. Trump has framed the war in strong terms, including threats that drew the pope's rebuke. As a U.S.-born leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, Leo's stance puts him at odds with his home country's administration in a rare way.[[6]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/03/pope-leo-god-war-trump-peace)

Tensions simmered earlier over immigration, Venezuela, and a Vatican-described "unusual" Pentagon meeting. Trump's post came while flying from Florida, and he followed with remarks after landing.[[7]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/10/trump-vatican-pentagon-meeting)

Key quotes

Trump on Truth Social: "Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy... Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left."[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/12/trump-criticizes-pope-leo)
Pope Leo to reporters: "I have no fear of the Trump administration."[[2]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/13/pope-leo-president-trump-feud)

Why it matters

An open feud between the U.S. president and pope highlights deep rifts over war, morality, and power at a tense time in the Middle East. It could strain Trump's support among conservative Catholics, a key voting bloc, while testing the Vatican's influence on global Catholics. Watch for Vatican statements, Catholic leader reactions, or escalation in Iran rhetoric, though personal barbs may cool if policy shifts.