Holy Pope Drama! Donald Trump has publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social, accusing him of being weak on crime and foreign policy, particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the flow of drugs from Venezuela. The Pope responded by noting the irony of Trump’s platform and stating he has no fear of the Trump administration. This conflict appears to stem from the Pope’s recent statements rejecting war and violence, which seem to be a response to comments made by Pete Hegseth advocating for prayer for violence against America’s enemies.

• Donald Trump accused Pope Leo XIV of being weak on crime and foreign policy, and of being too lenient on Iran.
• Trump criticized the Pope’s stance on issues like Venezuela and stated that the Pope was appointed to ‘deal with President Donald J. Trump.’
• Pope Leo XIV responded to Trump’s comments, highlighting the irony of the Truth Social platform and stating he has no fear.
• The conflict seems to have originated from the Pope’s Palm Sunday address, where he rejected war and violence.
• The article notes that Trump’s approval among American Catholics has dropped.
• Several US cardinals and the president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops have publicly supported Pope Leo XIV and condemned Trump’s remarks.