Pope Leo XIV Confronts Trump Over Iran War, Calls Violence Incompatible with the Gospel
Pope Leo XIV publicly rebuked President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in April 2026 after they described the U.S.-Iran war as a holy war. The Pope, on an 11-day Africa tour, said God does not hear the prayers of those who wage war.
Pope Leo XIV did not mince words. Speaking from Equatorial Guinea on April 23, 2026, the first American-born pope told reporters that no military campaign could be called holy, and that a disciple of Christ is never on the side of those who drop bombs.
The remarks were directed at President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had both used religious language to justify the ongoing U.S.-Iran war. Hegseth urged Americans to pray for military victory in the name of Jesus Christ. Trump, when asked if God approved of the war, said he did, because God is good.
Leo pushed back directly. He cited Isaiah, noting that God would not listen to those whose hands are full of blood. He also called Trump's earlier statement that America intended to wipe out an entire civilization unacceptable.
Trump responded on social media, calling the Pope weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy. He suggested Leo was only elected because he was American, as a strategy to deal with the Trump administration.
The Pope did not engage with Trump's personal attacks. He said he would continue speaking out regardless of insults.
Leo took his papal name from Leo XIII, the 19th-century pope known for defending workers' rights. His background includes years of ministry to the poor in Peru. U.S. bishops publicly defended him after Trump's remarks.
The clash drew international attention. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi both criticized Trump's comments. Iran's president also condemned what he called an insult to the Pope.
The confrontation has reignited debate about the relationship between Christian faith and political power in America. Critics of the administration say the use of religious imagery, including an AI-generated image Trump posted of himself as a Jesus-like figure, crosses a line that many Christians find deeply troubling.
Leo's Africa tour included stops in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. He addressed themes of peace, migration, the environment, and family throughout the trip.
