'We Are Not Politicians': Pope Leo Responds to Trump's Attacks After He Is Called 'Terrible for Foreign Policy'

Pope Leo has said he is 'not afraid of the Trump administration,' responding to what he described as personal attacks from Donald Trump while speaking to journalists aboard a papal flight reportedly travelling to Algeria.

In the past 24–48 hours, Trump has launched a series of unusually direct attacks on Pope Leo XIV, largely triggered by the Pope's criticism of the US-Israeli military campaign in Iran and his comments urging de-escalation.

In a Truth Social post and follow-up remarks, Trump described the Pope as 'weak on crime' and 'terrible for foreign policy,' adding that he did not want 'a Pope who criticises the President of the United States.' He also accused Leo of being 'very liberal' and suggested he was 'catering to the Radical Left,' framing the Pope's public calls for peace as politically motivated.

Trump went further in his criticism, arguing that Pope Leo should 'focus on being a great Pope, not a politician,' and claimed—without evidence—that the pontiff would not have been elected without his own political influence. He also publicly expressed a preference for the Pope's brother, Louis Prevost, whom he described as more aligned with the 'MAGA' movement.

In other remarks, he suggested the Pope was undermining the Catholic Church by opposing American military actions and questioned his judgment on foreign policy issues such as Iran and Venezuela.

Church Mission Stands Apart From Foreign Policy

In his comment, Pope Leo stressed that his role was rooted in faith rather than political strategy, drawing a line between the Vatican's spiritual authority and the practical realities of international diplomacy.

'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.'

The Pope also added that his focus is on spreading the message of the Gospel, not getting involved in political arguments or strategy.

He also seems to be trying to make it clear that the Church is separate from world leaders and governments, even though it sometimes gets involved in global issues.

'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.'

When he said he has 'no fear' of the Trump administration, people understood it as him showing confidence and standing his ground, rather than trying to start a fight. However, neither the Vatican nor Trump's team has added anything further to explain or respond to the comments.

Pope Leo XIV's Remarks on the US-Israel and Iran War

Trump's comments didn't come out of nowhere. Pope Leo had publicly criticised rising international tensions involving the US and its allies, especially around military action and the language being used to justify conflict. He called for restraint and urged leaders to focus on peace and humanitarian concerns.

Trump, on the other hand, reacted by framing those comments as the Pope stepping into politics. He pushed back on Truth Social to say the Pope was being too political and weak on issues like national security and foreign policy. He also criticised the idea of the Vatican commenting on US-linked military decisions, arguing that religious leaders should stay focused on spiritual matters rather than international politics.

But it's also worth noting that Trump has frequently challenged institutions he sees as criticising his policies, whether that's the media, courts, or global organisations. So in this case, the clash with the Pope fits into that same pattern of pushing back against public figures who question his approach to foreign affairs.