Pope joins backlash at Trump after US President launched assault on pontiff and posted an image of himself as Jesus
Pope Leo has said he has ‘no fear’ of Donald Trump amid their growing row over the US-Israeli war in Iran.
It came after the US President posted an AI-generated image seemingly depicting himself as Jesus Christ, as he attacked the Pope for not supporting his military campaign.
In a rant on Truth Social, Trump branded the pontiff ‘WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy’.
He added that Leo, 70, was only made Pope ‘because he was an American’, adding: ‘If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican’.
The Pope said on Monday that he plans to continue speaking out against war, telling Reuters: ‘I don’t want to get into a debate with him.’
Speaking aboard the papal flight to Algiers, where Leo is starting a 10-day tour to four African countries, he added: ‘I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.’
‘I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialog and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems.’ he said.
‘Too many people are suffering in the world today,’ said Leo. ‘Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.’
Donald Trump has sparked a furious backlash from within his MAGA base after he posted an AI-generated image seemingly depicting himself as Jesus Christ
It came after the US President unleashed an attack on Pope Leo on social media, branding him ‘ WEAK on Crime , and terrible for Foreign Policy’
Pope Leo XIV disembarks the papal plane upon his arrival at ‘Houari Boumediene’ International Airport to begin his apostolic journey to Algeria, Angola, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, in Dar El Beida, Algiers, Algeria, April 13
In the image posted on Truth Social, Trump appears dressed in red and white robes as he cures a man with his healing hand while the American flag waves in the background.
He had earlier told reporters on Sunday at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland: ‘I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo. He’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime.’
Trump also accused the head of the Catholic Church of ‘toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon’.
He lashed out again at the pontiff on Sunday night, writing on Truth Social: ‘I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.’
‘I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country,’ Trump said.
The President went deeper on his opposition to Pope Leo and the church’s stance on several issues including COVID lockdowns.
‘He talks about “fear” of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organisations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart,’ Trump wrote.
The President then claimed that Pope Leo ‘criticises the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do.’
The outburst followed recent criticism from the Pope over the weekend about the actions of the US military in Iran.
On Saturday he told worshippers at St Peter’s Basilica: ‘Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!’
Last week he criticised the President over his threats against the country, when he warned that ‘a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again’.
The Pope called it a ‘truly unacceptable’ statement.
The outburst followed recent criticism from the Pope over the weekend about the actions of the US military in Iran
Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, previously a strong ally of President Trump, condemned the artificially-generated image he posted of himself as Jesus, writing on X:
‘On Orthodox Easter, President Trump attacked the Pope because the Pope is rightly against Trump’s war in Iran and then he posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus.
‘This comes after last week’s post of his evil tirade on Easter and then threatening to kill an entire civilisation. I completely denounce this and I’m praying against it!!!’
‘It’s more than blasphemy,’ she added on a second account. ‘It’s an Antichrist spirit.’
Other members of the MAGA base expressed criticism following the President’s controversial post.
‘Oh hell no,’ wrote far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.
‘We tolerated this kind of meme against our better judgment because he promised to save America and only when it was clear he didn’t actually think he was the Messiah. Why do I feel like Paula White did this to him, and to us? Pray for his soul. Pray for us all.’
Right-wing social media personality Mike Cernovich also criticised the post, writing on X:
‘Trump’s first post was fine. The Pope has a long documented political record. The follow-up posts? Would not be tolerated for any other religion.’
In the lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said that ‘Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise’.
‘He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.’
Trump then condemned the Pope for his meeting with Barack Obama‘s campaign manager, David Axelrod, who the President called an ‘Obama sympathiser’ and ‘a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested’.
He added: ‘Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!’
