Published 04/13/2026 12:26 | Edited 04/13/2026 17:50
Pope Leo the 14th stated this Monday (13) that he is not afraid of the government of the United States (USA), led by Donald Trump.
“I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or loudly proclaiming the message of the Gospel, which I believe is what I’m here to do, what the Church is here to do,” the pope told reporters during the flight to Algeria.
This was a response to criticism of the US president on the Truth Social network. In his speech, the Pope indicated that he will continue to firmly deliver the Gospel message in the search for peace: “We are not politicians, we do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective. But we believe in the Gospel message as builders of peace.”
Read more: Middle East: Pope calls for ceasefire and rejects violence
The pontiff also highlighted the importance of dialogue and multilateralism in finding solutions, directing the message to all world leaders.
“Many people are suffering today, many innocent people have been killed and I believe someone must stand up and say there is a better way,” he added.
Leo 14’s trip is considered historic, as he is the first pope in Algerian lands, where he will pass through Algiers, the country’s capital, and Annaba, the hometown of Saint Augustine. This is the third international apostolic trip of this pontificate and the first to Africa. There will be 10 days of commitments that extend until April 23rd and visits to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
What did Trump say?
The reason for the pope’s response to journalists was a disrespectful publication by the US president, in which he stated that Leo 14 is “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy”.
Trump attacked the Pope for not backtracking on his message of peace, which opposes international conflicts.
Read more: “Whoever has weapons in their hands, let them lay them down!”, appeals Leo XIV
In his baseless criticism, Trump insists, without proof, that Iran has nuclear weapons. For him, Leão 14 normalizes the situation and would also have positioned himself against the attack on Venezuela. However, the pope has only asked for negotiations and an end to the escalation of conflicts.
To top it off, the American leader even insinuated that the pontiff should be grateful, as he was elevated to the highest position in the Catholic Church just because he was born in the USA, as a way of being a bridge with his government.
Trump criticized in the USA
In addition to the pope’s response, other religious people in the US spoke out against Trump’s defense of war and attacks on the leader of the Holy See.
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Washington DC, Cardinal McElroy, celebrated a Vigil Mass for Peace, last Saturday (11), at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle.
On the occasion, he asked the faithful to pray for the end of hostilities and peace in the Middle East. During the sermon, McElroy declared that the war in Iran is morally illegitimate: “We are in the middle of an immoral war” […] “We entered this conflict not out of necessity, but out of choice. We did not pursue the path of negotiation diligently enough to the end before resorting to arms.”
Archbishop Paul Stagg Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, declared: “I am uncomfortable with the fact that the president chose to write such dishonorable words against the Holy Father. Pope Leo is not his rival, nor is the pope a politician. It is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the healing of souls.”
Source: vermelho.org.br