'The Catholic Church Had Better Take Its Side': Pentagon Warned Pope Leo XIV Over Trump Criticism

Pentagon officials warned the Vatican that the Catholic Church 'had better take its side' after Pope Leo XIV criticised US foreign policy under Donald Trump, reports published this week have revealed. The confrontation took place in January at a closed-door meeting at the Pentagon, just days after the pontiff's State of the World address.

The remarks were seen as a response to Pope Leo XIV's speech, in which he warned that a diplomacy promoting dialogue was being replaced by one based on force and that war was back in vogue.

Pentagon Threatened Pope Leo XIV over Trump Criticism

Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, was elected in May 2025. Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago to a family of French, Italian and Spanish descent, he previously served as a missionary in Peru and led the Order of Saint Augustine. Since his election, he has positioned the Church as a voice for peace, repeatedly criticising militaristic approaches.

His comments on Trump's Iran policy have been particularly sharp. In a recent statement, he called the president's threat that a whole civilisation would die tonight if no deal is reached truly unacceptable. This contrasts with rhetoric from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has led Pentagon prayer services calling for overwhelming violence of action against the nation's enemies. Such contrasts have underscored the fundamental differences in approach to international affairs.

The reports, originating from The Free Press and confirmed by Christopher Hale in his Letters from Leo newsletter, indicate that the Vatican was so alarmed it cancelled the pope's planned visit to the US later this year. The Pentagon has acknowledged the meeting but described the leaked version as highly exaggerated, insisting it was a respectful discussion on policy alignment.

Vatican Reaction and Cancelled Visit

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby summoned Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Holy See's representative in Washington, for what has been described as a bitter lecture. Colby is said to have told the cardinal that the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.

One official also referenced the Avignon papacy, the 14th-century period when the papal court was under secular influence in France. Some Vatican insiders interpreted the comment as a veiled threat to use military force against the Holy See. The episode has exposed deep divisions between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church.

On X, one user highlighted the Pentagon's quoted warning, suggesting the administration had gone berserk over the pope's anti-war statements.

Hale noted that many in the Vatican saw the Avignon reference as particularly alarming. The decision to cancel the visit reflects the seriousness with which the Holy See took the warning, amid concerns over the future of US-Vatican diplomatic ties.

Broader Diplomatic Fallout

As of April 2026, relations remain strained. The incident raises questions about how the US balances its military strength with respect for the moral authority of the world's largest religious body.

Pope Leo continues to call for dialogue and de-escalation in global conflicts, maintaining the Church's traditional neutrality in the face of superpower pressures. The affair has drawn attention to the challenges of papal independence in an era of assertive geopolitics.

Analysts suggest the warning reflects broader frustrations within the administration over the Pope's perceived intervention in foreign policy debates.