15.04.2026 10:17
US President Donald Trump strongly reacted to Pope Leo XIV's peace calls against the Iran war. Trump claimed that Iran had 'killed 42 thousand unarmed protesters' in the last two months and said the Pope should be reminded of this fact. The tension, which began with the Pope's anti-war statements, escalated with mutual harsh words, deepening the crisis between the two leaders over the Iran and nuclear weapons debate.
The tension over the Iran war is escalating between US President Donald Trump and Vatican State President Pope Leo XIV. In his latest statement on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump harshly criticized the Pope.
In his post, Trump stated, "Someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 unarmed, innocent protesters in the last two months. Iran possessing a nuclear bomb is absolutely unacceptable."
This statement came after Pope Leo's call for peace against the Iran war.
THE POPE OPPOSED THE WAR, TRUMP REACTED
In his recent statements, Pope Leo XIV strongly criticized the US and Israel's attacks on Iran. The Pope took a clear stance against conflicts, saying, "God does not bless any war."
The Vatican leader also emphasized that the war is "absurd and inhumane," calling on world leaders for dialogue.
Following these remarks, Trump targeted the Pope, arguing that he is "weak" in foreign policy and does not take the Iranian threat seriously enough.
TRUMP: "THE POPE IS WEAK IN FOREIGN POLICY"
In previous statements, Trump had also criticized Pope Leo with harsh expressions, claiming he is "weak on crime" and "too liberal."
The US President described the Pope's stance on Iran as "in line with the radical left," while frequently stating that Iran acquiring nuclear weapons is a major threat.
Trump also reacted to the Pope's anti-war rhetoric, arguing that the Vatican should not interfere in political matters.
HISTORIC TENSION ON THE VATICAN-US LINE
These mutual statements between Trump and Pope Leo are considered one of the harshest tensions between Washington and the Vatican in recent years. Experts point out that this conflict over the Iran war has turned not only into a political but also a "moral leadership" debate.
While Pope Leo calls for peace and diplomacy, Trump's defense of hardline security policies further deepens the disagreement between the two leaders.
TENSION IS ESCALATING
With the latest statement, Trump took his criticisms of the Pope a step further. Highlighting Iran's violence against protesters, Trump continued to defend his military policy with an emphasis on the nuclear threat.
Pope Leo, as in his previous statements, maintains his anti-war stance and continues to call the international community for dialogue and peace.