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Pope Leo Pushes Back on Trump Comments 04/13 06:08
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) -- U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV pushed back Monday on
President Donald Trump's broadside against him over the U.S.-Israel war in
Iran, telling reporters that the Vatican's appeals for peace and reconciliation
are rooted in the Gospel, and that he doesn't fear the Trump administration.
"To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to
do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is," Leo
told The Associated Press aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria. "And I'm
sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the
church in the world today."
History's first U.S.-born pope stressed that he was not making a direct
attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and
criticisms of the "delusion of omnipotence" that is fueling the Iran wars and
other conflicts around the world.
"I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant
as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: 'Blessed are the
peacemakers,'" Leo said.
"I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting
all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation,
and looking for ways to avoid war any time that's possible"
Speaking to other reporters, he added: "I'm not afraid of the Trump
administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which
is what the Church works for.''
"We are not politicans. We do not look at foreign policy from the same
perspective that he may have,'' the pope said, adding, "I will continue to
speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue
and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems.
"Too many people are suffering today, too many innocent people have been
killed, and I believe someone must stand up and say that there is a better
way,'' he said.
Trump says Leo is not 'doing a very good job'
Trump delivered an extraordinary broadside against Leo on Sunday night,
saying he didn't think the U.S.-born global leader of the Catholic Church is
"doing a very good job" and that "he's a very liberal person," while also
suggesting the pontiff should "stop catering to the Radical Left."
Flying back to Washington from Florida, Trump used a lengthy social media
post to sharply criticize Leo, then kept it up after deplaning, in comments on
the tarmac to reporters.
"I'm not a fan of Pope Leo," he said.
Trump's comments came after Leo suggested over the weekend that a "delusion
of omnipotence" is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. While it's not unusual
for popes and presidents to be at cross purposes, it's exceedingly rare for the
pope to directly criticize a U.S. leader -- and Trump's stinging response is
equally uncommon, if not more so.
"Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," the president
wrote in his post, adding, "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to
have a Nuclear Weapon."
Italian politicians across the spectrum showed their solidarity with Leo.
Premier Giorgia Meloni sent a message of support for his peace mission while
the leader of the main opposition party, Elly Schlein, was more direct, calling
Trump's attacks "extremely serious."
Trump repeated that sentiment in comments to reporters, saying, "We don't
like a pope who says it's OK to have a nuclear weapon."
Later, Trump posted a picture suggesting he had saint-like powers akin to
those of Jesus Christ. Wearing a biblical-style robe, Trump is seen laying
hands on a bedridden man as light emanates from his fingers, while a soldier, a
nurse, a praying woman and a bearded man in a baseball cap all look on
admiringly. The sky above is filled with eagles, an American flag and vaporous
images.
Leo's opposition to war irked Trump
All of that came after Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St.
Peter's Basilica on Saturday, the same day the United States and Iran began
face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. The pope
didn't mention the United States or Trump by name, but his tone and message
appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S.
military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.
Leo, who is on an 11-day trip to Africa starting Monday -- has previously
said that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but
rejects them." He's also referenced an Old Testament passage from Isaiah,
saying that "even though you make many prayers, I will not listen -- your hands
are full of blood."
Before the ceasefire, when Trump warned of mass strikes against Iranian
power plants and other infrastructure and that "an entire civilization will die
tonight," Leo described such sentiments as "truly unacceptable."
In his social media post on Sunday night, however, Trump went far beyond the
war in Iran in criticizing Leo.
The president wrote, "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." That was a reference to the Trump administration
having ousted Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro in January.
"I don't want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States
because I'm doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do," Trump
added, referencing his 2024 election victory.
He also suggested in the post that Leo only got his position "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
wrote, adding, "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!"
In his subsequent comments to reporters, Trump remained highly critical,
saying of Leo, "I don't think he's doing a very good job. He likes crime I
guess" and adding, "He's a very liberal person."
Bishops say the pope is not a politician
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, issued a statement saying he was "disheartened" by Trump's comments.
"Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of
Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls,"
Coakley said.
The Italian Bishops' Conference expressed regret over Trump's words, and
underlined that the pope "is not a political counterpart, but the successor of
Peter, called to serve the Gospel, truth and peace.''
In the 2024 election, Trump won 55% of Catholic voters, according to AP
VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. But Trump's administration
also has close ties to conservative evangelical Protestant leaders and has
claimed heavenly endorsement for the war on Iran.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Americans to pray for victory "in the
name of Jesus Christ." And, when Trump was asked whether he thought God
approved of the war, he said, "I do, because God is good -- because God is good
and God wants to see people taken care of."
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