Trump says he is ‘not a broad fan’ of ‘extinct’ and ‘dreadful’ Pope Leo

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Leo XIV hit aid Monday after President Donald Trump sharply criticized the main American chief of the Catholic Church as “WEAK on crime” and “dreadful for Foreign Policy.”

Leo, who has been surprisingly voice in his criticism of the U.S. and Israel’s battle with Iran, told NBC Files that he had “no horror of the Trump administration” and vowed to maintain up his appeals for peace that he stated were rooted within the gospel.

Trump leveled his criticism of the pope in remarks to reporters and on social media.

“I don’t voice he’s doing a really factual job. He likes crime, I guess,” the president told NBC Files at Joint Horrifying Andrews, Maryland, unhurried Sunday.

“We don’t esteem a pope that’s going to recount that it’s OK to get a nuclear weapon. We don’t desire a pope that claims crime is OK in our cities. I don’t esteem it. I’m not a broad fan of Pope Leo,” Trump added.

He posted earlier on Truth Social that “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and dreadful for Foreign Policy.”

“Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. 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. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump said.

The pope responded while en route Monday to Algeria for the first stop of an 11-day tour of four African nations.

Speaking aboard the papal plane, the pope said “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.”

He added: “We are not politicians, we don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the gospel, as a peacemaker.”

On the flight, he told reporters that Algeria was ”a very special trip for me” as it became once the home of St. Augustine, the muse of Leo’s spiritual spirituality. “He was a bridge of interreligious dialogue, so we must continue to build bridges and reconciliation for all people,” the pope said.

Trump’s heavy criticism did not stop the pontiff from continuing to speak out against the war.

Upon his arrival in Algiers — the capital of a country ravaged in the past by war — the pope stopped by the monument to independence from French rule, and said that as conflicts continue to multiply throughout the world, we cannot add resentment upon resentment.

The pope last week criticized Trump’s public threats to “wipe out” Iranian civilization, saying “attacks on civilian infrastructure are against worldwide legislation” and urging other folks to contact leaders and contributors of Congress to demand peace.

He has urged Trump to end the war with Iran, and he lamented in his Easter message ideally suited week that the realm is “changing into indifferent” to violence. Leo had moreover criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

In a brief statement Sunday night, Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, rebuked Trump’s criticism of the pope.

“I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father,” Coakley wrote. “Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”

Trump separately posted a picture Sunday night portraying himself as having saint-like powers akin to those of Jesus Christ.

Wearing a biblical-style robe, Trump is seen laying hands on a bedridden man as light emanates from his fingers. A soldier, a nurse, a praying woman and a bearded man in a baseball cap all look on, with American landmarks in the background and the sky filled with eagles and an American flag.

The post prompted controversy from several high-profile conservatives, including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump ally turned critic.

“It’s extra than blasphemy,” she said on X, reacting to Trump’s put up. “It’s an Antichrist spirit.”

The image was later removed from Trump’s page. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the deleted post.

Trump hasn’t always been critical of Leo. At the time, Trump called the pope’s election in May possibly per chance per chance “an honor for our nation.”

“It’s the form of broad honor for our nation to get an American pope. I mean, what elevated honor may possibly possibly per chance there be? That we were reasonably bit very much surprised, very jubilant. But objective correct a broad, completely broad honor,” he said at the time.

A March NBC Files poll stumbled on U.S. voters considered Leo extra favorably than they devise Trump. Forty-two p.c of respondents stated they’d sure views of the pope, whereas objective correct 8% had destructive views of him. Whereas 41% of respondents stated they’d sure views of Trump, Fifty three% stated they’d destructive views of him.

Claudio Lavanga reported from aboard the papal plane, and Tara Prindiville and Raquell Coronell Uribe from Washington.