Pope Leo XIV and President Trump have recently been engaged in a war of words due to their differing views on the conflict in Iran.
The Pope believes that the war was started for unclear reasons and has called on the opposing sides to pursue dialogue and peace.
Meanwhile, Trump insists that he will continue confronting Iran until it abandons what he claims is a nuclear weapons program.
This disagreement escalated on Sunday, April 13, 2026, when Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV, saying he lacks competence in foreign policy.
He stated: “Pope Leo XIV is weak on crime and is not capable in foreign policy.”
Trump added that he does not want “a Pope who thinks it is acceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons or who believes it was wrong for the United States to attack Venezuela.”
Prime Minister Meloni strongly condemned Trump’s remarks, saying they are unacceptable.
“I find President Trump’s words about the Holy Father unacceptable. The Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church, and it is normal for him to call for peace and condemn any form of war,” she said.
Meloni also expressed her support for Pope Leo XIV’s position, calling for an end to the war in Iran.
