Pope Leo XIV has said he is “not afraid” of Donald Trump, while firmly distancing himself from a deepening war of words between the Vatican and the U.S. leader.
Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria on Monday, the pontiff stressed that his role is spiritual, not political, and ruled out engaging in direct confrontation.
“I am not a politician, I have no intention of entering into a debate with him,” Pope Leo said. “I am not afraid of the Trump administration. I speak about the Gospel.”
He added that he would continue to speak out against war and advocate for peace, warning against what he described as the misuse of religious teachings.
“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, to try to promote peace, multilateral dialogue between states in order to seek the right solution to problems,” he said, noting that “too many people are suffering in the world.”
The Pope’s remarks came in response to a strongly worded statement by Trump on Truth Social, in which the U.S. president criticised the pontiff’s positions on crime, foreign policy, and global conflicts.
Trump described the Pope as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” while accusing him of aligning with left-leaning political interests and interfering in matters beyond the Church.
The exchange underscores growing tensions between the two figures, largely centred on differing views over war, international relations, and the role of religion in political discourse.
Despite the criticism, Pope Leo maintained that his message is not directed at any individual leader, but rooted in the teachings of the Church.
“The message of the Church is the message of the Gospel—blessed are the peacemakers,” he said.
