Politics US & Canada World

Trump and Pope feud intensifies

Trump and Pope feud intensifies

Tensions between the White House and the Vatican have reached an unprecedented level following President Trump's public criticism of Pope Leo XIV. The dispute began after the Pope, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, criticized the 'unacceptable' humanitarian cost of the U.S. military campaign in Iran.

Trump responded by labeling the Pope 'weak on crime' and a member of the 'radical left,' before sharing an AI image that many religious leaders condemned as blasphemous.

While the President later deleted the post, claiming he thought it depicted a doctor, the incident has outraged Catholic voters and sparked a rare public rebuke from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Donald Trump
President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Leo XIV
267th Pope of the Catholic Church (2025–)
Vatican City
Holy See's independent state, an enclave within Rome, Italy
JD Vance
Vice president of the United States since 2025
Giorgia Meloni
Prime Minister of Italy since 2022