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  "path": "/news/world/pope-leo-donald-trump-iran-war-latest",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-13T11:40:22.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Oil prices surge back above $100 as Britain stares down the barrel of mass protests",
    "Ex-police officer becomes first British-born person to have citizenship stripped over links to Russia",
    "Eight in 10 Gen Zs have called in sick to work because they were TIRED, new poll finds",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nPope Leo has declared his intention to keep condemning warfare despite a blistering overnight assault from Donald Trump on social media.\n\nThe Pontiff stated he had no desire to engage in arguments with the American president.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing,\" he said.\n\nThe leader of the Catholic Church added: \"I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nWhile travelling to Algeria, he reiterated his refusal to enter into direct confrontation with Mr Trump.\n\nThe Pontiff has consistently opposed the Iran conflict, previously describing Mr Trump's threat to annihilate Iranian civilisation as \"unacceptable\" and urging him to seek an \"off-ramp\" from hostilities.\n\nMr Trump launched his attack via Truth Social on Sunday, branding the Pope \"WEAK on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy\".\n\nThe Potus also took credit for the pontiff's elevation, writing: \"If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe suggested the American-born Pope had been chosen specifically to manage relations with his administration.\n\nMr Trump further demanded that the Pontiff \"should get his act together\" and accused him of being \"weak on nuclear weapons\", an apparent reference to Tehran's atomic ambitions, which have been cited as justification for the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.\n\nWhen pressed by journalists to clarify his remarks, Mr Trump responded: \"I don't think he's doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess.\"\n\nHe characterised the Pope as \"a very liberal person\" who opposes efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Oil prices surge back above $100 as Britain stares down the barrel of mass protests\n  * Ex-police officer becomes first British-born person to have citizenship stripped over links to Russia\n  * Eight in 10 Gen Zs have called in sick to work because they were TIRED, new poll finds\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe President's comments prompted condemnation from Catholics worldwide, with experts drawing stark historical parallels.\n\nMassimo Faggioli observed: \"Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly.\"\n\nThe comparison to fascist-era relations between the Vatican and authoritarian leaders underscores the unprecedented nature of Mr Trump's public assault on the Pontiff.\n\nIt remains unusual for any pope to respond directly to criticism from heads of state, making the exchange particularly remarkable.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe attack came as Pope Leo embarked on an 11-day African tour, his second significant overseas journey since his election last year.\n\nThe United States is home to more than 70 million Catholics, representing roughly a fifth of the population, including Vice-President JD Vance.\n\nPope Leo has repeatedly used public platforms to denounce global conflicts and call for restraint in the Middle East.\n\nBeyond the Iran war, he has challenged Mr Trump's stringent immigration policies, questioning whether anyone supporting what he termed the \"inhuman treatment of immigrants\" could genuinely claim to be \"pro-life\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Pontiff is widely regarded as carrying forward the humanitarian approach established by his predecessor, Pope Francis.\n\nDuring the 2016 presidential campaign, Pope Francis declared that Mr Trump was \"not Christian\" owing to his hostile rhetoric towards migrants.\n\nMr Trump responded at the time by calling the late Pope \"disgraceful\".\n\nThe current tensions between the Vatican and Washington therefore represent a continuation of fraught relations stretching back nearly a decade.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Pope Leo hits back at Donald Trump after US President's blistering criticism of 'weak on crime' Pontiff"
}