Pope Leo has clarified that his recent criticism of “tyrants” spending billions on wars was not directed at Donald Trump. The pontiff stated that the remarks, delivered earlier this week, had been prepared a fortnight prior – “well before the president ever commented on myself.”
“And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate, again, the president, which is not in my interest at all,” he told reporters aboard a flight to Angola on Saturday.
Context of the Controversy
Days after the Pope’s speech, Trump launched a scathing attack on the first American Pope, describing him as “terrible for foreign policy.” The Pope has been a vocal critic of the US-Israeli military operation in Iran.
The pontiff, currently on a tour of Africa, noted that a “certain narrative that has not been accurate” had developed, citing “the political situation created” by Trump’s comments.
Reactions and Previous Statements
In response to the Pope’s latest remarks, US Vice-President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism as an adult, expressed gratitude, stating he was “grateful to Pope Leo for saying this.” Vance added, “While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict – and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen – the reality is often much more complicated.”
Earlier in the week, before the Pope’s speech referring to “tyrants,” Vance had urged the Vatican to “stick to matters of morality.”
During his speech in Cameroon on Thursday, the Pope had criticized leaders who “turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.” He further added, “The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild.”
The Pope also condemned “an endless cycle of destabilisation and death” in a “bloodstained” region of Cameroon that had been gripped by insurgency for nearly a decade.
Trump’s Initial Criticism
These remarks were interpreted by some as a reference to Trump, who later told reporters: “The Pope can say what he wants, and I want him to say what he wants, but I can disagree.”
Trump had initially posted his lengthy criticism of the leader of the Catholic Church after the pontiff had voiced concern about Trump’s threat that “a whole civilisation will die” if Iran did not agree to US demands to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz. The president had stated he was “not a big fan” of the Pope and called him “WEAK on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Trump also posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, which he later removed.
Pope’s Africa Tour
The Catholic leader’s Africa tour includes stops in 11 cities across four countries. It marks his second major foreign visit since being elected to the papacy last year, highlighting the growing importance of Catholicism in Africa. According to 2024 figures, more than a fifth of the world’s Catholics – approximately 288 million people – reside in Africa.
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