Pope Leo XIV has expressed anger against “violence” and people being “betrayed” by the rich amid his ongoing feud with Donald Trump.
Posting on X during his visit to Africa, the Pope said: “We see today how the hope of many is frustrated by violence, exploited by the powerful and deceived by the rich. When injustice corrupts hearts, the bread of all becomes the possession of a few.
“In the face of these evils, Christ hears the cry of the people and renews our history by raising us from every fall. He consoles us in every suffering and encourages us in our mission.”
Last week the Pope also took aim at “tyrants” who spend billions of dollars on wars – just days after Donald Trump attacked them in a series of extraordinary attacks. The Catholic Church leader also criticized the “masters of war” during a visit to Cameroon.
In his message, the US-born Pope urged a “decisive change of course” and 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. They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and destruction, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.”
When asked if he was going to meet with the Pope to resolve differences, Mr Trump responded, “I don’t think that’s necessary”.
The comments came after a series of messages published on Truth Social in which he criticized the Pope, saying he was “weak on crime and terrible at foreign policy”. Mr Trump’s full message read: “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 shipping massive amounts of drugs into the United States and, worse, was emptying its prisons of criminals, drug dealers, and murderers into our country.
“And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because that’s what I was elected to do…Leo should do his job as Pope, use common sense, stop pandering to the radical left and focus on being a great Pope, not a politician.”
Pope Leo XIV is currently traveling in Africa. His journey began on April 12 and will continue till April 23. His travels included Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
