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By John Ogunsemore
Pope Leo XIV declared Monday that he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and will continue to speak out against war, hours after President Donald Trump sharply criticised the pontiff’s calls for peace in the Iran conflict.
The first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo made the remarks to reporters flying with him as he began a 10-day pastoral visit to several African nations.
The remarks came in direct response to a lengthy social media post Trump published Sunday night on Truth Social.
In that post, Trump called Pope Leo XIV “weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy,” accused him of catering to the “radical left,” and said he was “not a big fan” of the pontiff.
Trump also claimed credit for Pope Leo’s election last year, asserting the cardinals chose an American to deal with him.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do,” Pope Leo XIV told journalists aboard the plane.
He added that he has “no intention of entering into a debate” with the president and does not view his role as political.
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The pope stressed that the Vatican’s repeated appeals for an immediate end to the war in Iran and other conflicts are rooted in Christian teaching rather than partisan politics.
“Let us always seek peace and put an end to wars,” he said. “I will continue to speak out loud against war.”
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in 1955, was elected on May 8, 2025, following the death of Pope Francis.
A former missionary in Peru and longtime Vatican official, he has been an outspoken advocate for peace since taking office.
The exchange marks an unusual public feud between a sitting US president and the head of the Catholic Church.
Trump’s criticism followed the pope’s recent calls for an “off-ramp” to the Iran war and his broader criticism of military escalation in the region.
The pontiff is scheduled to arrive in Algiers later Monday to begin his African tour.
He is also expected to visit Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea during the trip.
