President Donald Trump on Sunday responded to criticism from Pope Leo XIV concerning U.S. policy in Iran. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated his views on the pontiff’s comments regarding his administration’s actions.
The post followed public statements in which Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope, commented on the U.S. conflict with Iran.
In his social media post on Sunday, April 12, Trump wrote, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do.”
The president also commented on the selection of Pope Leo XIV. “Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise,” Trump’s post continued. “He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”
The exchange follows a period of public statements from Vatican leaders regarding international affairs. According to reports, Pope Leo XIV and other church officials had previously expressed criticism of Trump’s foreign policy related to Iran as well as his domestic immigration policies. The specific details of the pontiff’s initial remarks that prompted Trump’s Sunday post were not immediately available.
The events occurred amid ongoing diplomatic and military tensions between the United States and Iran. The Vatican has historically commented on international conflicts, often calling for peaceful resolutions. The statements by Pope Leo XIV are consistent with this precedent, though his status as the first American-born pontiff has drawn additional attention to his commentary on U.S. affairs.
As of Sunday evening, the Vatican had not issued a public response to the president’s social media post.
