“I don't think he's doing a very good job. He's a very liberal person. He should stop catering to the Radical Left. I don't want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I'm doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do. Leo should be thankful because he was a shocking surprise and wasn't on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American. If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.
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Trump Feuds With Pope Leo XIV Over Iran War and Immigration
November 18, 2025
An escalating clash between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV — the first American-born pope — has emerged as one of the defining conflicts of 2026. The feud spans two fronts: Leo's condemnation of the Iran war (calling Trump's threats "truly unacceptable" and denouncing a "delusion of omnipotence") and his criticism of mass deportation policies as "extremely disrespectful." Trump responded with an extraordinary broadside, calling Leo "very liberal," "weak on crime," and "terrible for foreign policy," and claiming "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican." The Vatican canceled a planned 250th anniversary visit over foreign policy disagreements.
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“It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive. Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.
“The threat to destroy an entire civilization is truly unacceptable. Any attack on civilian infrastructure violates international law. I urge Americans and all people of good will to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives to demand they reject war and work for peace.
“I don't think there's anything wrong with our military leaders or with the president calling on the American people to pray for our service members and those who are serving our country overseas. Our nation was founded 250 years ago on Judeo-Christian values and U.S. leaders have turned to prayer during the most turbulent times in our nation's history.
“Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.
Background (1)— earlier statements that set the stage▸
“We have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have. If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts. There's a system of justice. The treatment of long-term residents has been extremely disrespectful.