By President Donald Trump on Monday rejected calls to apologize for his sharp criticism of Pope Leo XIV, defending his remarks as a response to what he described as the pontiff’s misjudgments on crime, law enforcement, and the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The dispute intensified after the pope publicly questioned elements of U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the ongoing tensions with Iran. Trump had earlier posted on Truth Social that the pope was “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” urging him to remain focused on spiritual leadership rather than political matters.
Leo is the first-ever pope from the United States.
Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office press availability, Trump dismissed the notion that he owed an apology.
“I don’t, because Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran,” Trump told reporters. “Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result. You have hundreds of millions of people dead and it’s not going to happen, so I can’t. I think he’s very weak on crime and other things, so I’m not. I mean, he went public.”
Trump said his comments were prompted by the pope’s own public statements and drew a contrast with the pontiff’s brother, Louis.
“He also contrasted the pontiff with his brother Louis, describing the latter as “a big MAGA person and he’s a great guy” and saying, “I like Louis better than I like the Pope.””
The president pointed to what he described as improvements in domestic public safety under his administration, citing historically low crime figures.
“We have the lowest crime numbers we’ve had in a long time, despite the fact that many criminals were allowed into our country, but we’ve gotten a lot of them out,” he said. “We’ve done a great job on crime.”
“So we have the lowest murder rate in 125 years since 1900, the lowest murder rate. So we believe strongly in our order and he, he seemed to have a problem with that,” Trump continued. “So there’s nothing to apologize for. He’s wrong. And the other thing is he didn’t like what we’re doing with respect to Iran, but Iran wants to be a nuclear nation so they can exterminate the world. Not going to happen.”
The remarks drew criticism from Robert Barron, a Catholic bishop who serves on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Writing on Twitter, Barron called Trump’s earlier comments “entirely inappropriate and disrespectful” and said they “don’t contribute at all to a constructive conversation.”
The statements made by President Trump on Truth Social regarding the Pope were entirely inappropriate and disrespectful. They don’t contribute at all to a constructive conversation. It is the Pope’s prerogative to articulate Catholic doctrine and the principles that govern the…
— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) April 13, 2026
Barron added: “It is the Pope’s prerogative to articulate Catholic doctrine and the principles that govern the moral life. In regard to the concrete application of those principles, people of good will can and do disagree.”
He also suggested that senior Catholic officials in the administration—including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and Ambassador Brian Burch—engage directly with Vatican leadership rather than continue the dispute in public forums.
The exchange highlights growing friction between the White House and the Vatican over foreign policy, immigration enforcement, and the role of religious leaders in public debate. The pope, currently traveling in Africa, has previously defended his willingness to speak on global issues, saying he has “no fear” of addressing matters of war and peace.
Pope Leo says he has "no fear of the Trump administration" after he was asked about President Trump's Truth Social post calling the pontiff "weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy."
"We are not politicians, we don't deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he… pic.twitter.com/37LCeprhUc
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 13, 2026
The dispute has sparked broader debate among American Catholics and political observers, with some backing Trump’s hardline stance on national security and others raising concerns about the tone and substance of the clash between two of the most prominent figures on the world stage.
[Read More: NYT Columnist Says He’s Rooting For Iran]
