Donald Trump blasted Pope Leo XIV for being “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” before sharing a bizarre AI image depicting himself as Jesus.
The US President hit out at the US Pope in his historic Palm Sunday address over the weekend for condemning the war in Iran while peace talks in Pakistan failed.
In a sharp rebuke to Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Pope leo is weak CrimeAnd terrible for foreign policy.”
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have nuclear weapons.
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that the United States invaded Venezuela, a country that was sending huge amounts of drugs into the United States and, worse, was emptying our country of murderers, drug dealers and murderers, including their prisons.
“And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President United States of America Because I’m doing exactly what I was elected to do, in a landslide.”
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Trump appeared to be angered by Leo’s veiled criticism of the Middle Eastern conflict during an evening prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday.
Although the American did not name the president, he condemned his “idolatry of self” and “illusion of omnipotence” in a veiled attack on the White House.
The Pope has consistently condemned the Trump administration during Operation Epic Fury and shared a similar message on his X account on Friday, writing: “God does not bless any conflict.
“Whoever is a disciple of Christ, Prince of peace, is never in favor of those who once wielded swords and today drop bombs.
“Military action will not create space for a time of freedom or #peace, which comes only by patiently promoting coexistence and dialogue among peoples.”
Leo previously said that God “does not hear the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them” and suggested that world leaders involved have “hands full of blood”.
In one of his most direct attacks, the Pope told the public not to use God’s name in vain, especially in relation to war.
He said: “Even the holy name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into the discourses of death.”
It came after Trump was asked whether God supports US military action in Iran at a White House press briefing last Monday.
The President responded: “I do it, because God is good. And God wants people to be taken care of. God doesn’t like what’s happening. I don’t like what’s happening. Everybody says I enjoy it. I don’t enjoy it.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly invoked God during the seven-week war, calling it a holy conflict fought “in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Hegseth recently compared the rescue of a US airman to the resurrection of Jesus Christ over Easter weekend.
He said: “Got down on Friday, Good Friday, hid in a cave, a crack all Saturday and were rescued on Sunday, flown out of Iran as the sun rose on Easter Sunday.
“A pilot was reborn, everyone returned home and the entire country celebrated.”
This comes as Trump prepares to impose a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz from 3pm today.
Announcing the planned closure yesterday, CENTCOM wrote: “The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.”
Trump also followed this up by announcing: “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the finest in the world, will begin the process of interdicting any and all ships attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz.”
The angry president had earlier warned that his forces were fully “locked in and loaded”, “ready to wipe out what’s left of Iran!”
Reiterating his previous threats to “destroy” Iranian civilization, he said: “In an hour, I could get all their energy, everything, every single one of their plants, their power generating plants, which is a big deal.”
Trump has accused Iran of “world extortion” after Tehran imposed a toll of $2 million (£1.5 million) on each oil tanker allowed through the strait.
He said angrily: “Iran will not be allowed to profit from this illegal act of extortion. They want the money and, more importantly, they want the nukes.”
Trump said the US Navy would stop “every vessel in international waters” that has paid tolls to Iran.
Adding further: “Nobody paying illegal tolls will have safe passage on the high seas.”
Ahead of Saturday’s peace talks, US officials revealed the weakening regime has been forced to block the reopening of a key waterway because it is unable to find mines planted to stop foreign ships.
Trump said: “We will also begin destroying mines laid by the Iranians in the strait. Any Iranian who fires at us or at peaceful ships will be blown to hell!”
“Iran knows better than anyone how to end this situation that has already devastated their country.”
Vice President J.D. Vance met with negotiators from Tehran in Pakistan on Saturday to hammer out a new deal, but returned to Washington Sunday morning empty-handed.
Even after 21 hours of talks, the US and Iran could not resolve disagreements over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said the US had come with “excessive demands” and “unlawful requests” – despite Trump repeatedly telling the regime it could have no nuclear capability.
As he boarded Air Force Two to leave Islamabad, Vance told reporters: “Do we see a fundamental commitment of the Iranians will not develop nuclear weapons for the long term?
“We haven’t seen that yet.”
