Pope Leo XIV leaves on Thursday at the end of a meeting for peace with the local community at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon. April 16, 2026, day four of their 11-day pastoral trip to Africa.
Andrew Medichini/AP
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Andrew Medichini/AP
LAGOS, Nigeria – Pope Leo XIV has delivered striking remarks in Cameroon, condemning global leaders who are “destroying the world” by spending billions on war.
The comments come amid a growing public dispute with President Trump over the ongoing war in Iran.
In a speech at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in the Cameroonian city of Bamenda, the Pope sharply criticized those who use religion to justify military actions.
He said, “The masters of war do not know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild.”
“Blessed are the peacemakers!” He said. “But woe to those who manipulate religion and the name of God for their military, economic and political gain, dragging what is holy into darkness and filth.”
While some of the Pope’s comments were directed at the separatist conflict in Cameroon, speaking from a city at the center of the conflict in the Central African country, his broader message was undeniably global.
“The world is being destroyed by a handful of tyrants,” he said, “yet it is held together by many supportive brothers and sisters.”
Pope Leo’s visit to Africa comes amid his strong opposition to the ongoing US- and Israeli-led war with Iran. His call for peace has drawn sharp criticism from the White House.
Over the weekend, President Trump attacked the Pope as “weak on crime and soft on foreign policy”, suggesting Leo should focus on religious matters rather than politics. In one post, Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ, which he later removed.
Trump’s Vice President and a converted Catholic, J.D. Vance, also criticized Pope Leo, calling on him to “stay away from politics” and focus solely on “matters of morality.”
Currently in Cameroon, Pope Leo’s African tour focuses on promoting unity, peace and stronger inter-religious relations.
But the visit is overshadowed by growing divisions between the Vatican and Washington, as the pope’s calls for peace come amid a growing and increasingly personal clash with President Trump — especially given that Pope Leo is the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
