" I'm not afraid of the Trump administration, or of loudly proclaiming the Gospel message, which is what I believe I should be here to do, which is why the Church is here. We are not politicians; we don't view foreign policy with the same perspective, but as builders of peace." Pope Leo—on his way to Africa for an apostolic journey that will take him to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea— responded to reporters in response to the unprecedented attack from overseas: "I don't have much to say. People who read this will be able to draw their own conclusions. I'm not a politician, and I have no intention of engaging in debate with him. My message, rather, is always the same: to promote peace. And I say this for all world leaders, not just him... Too many innocent people have been killed, and I believe someone must stand up and say there is a better way."
The post on Truth: "I don't like it."
A few hours earlier, the American president had blasted the first American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church. A tirade that marks an unimaginable rift between the White House and the Vatican. In a long and scathing post on Truth, while still on Air Force One returning from Florida, he called Leone "weak on the crime front and terrible at foreign policy." "He talks about the fear of the Trump administration, but he doesn't mention the fear the Catholic Church, and all other Christian organizations, felt during Covid, when priests, ministers, and anyone else were arrested for celebrating religious services ," the tycoon insisted, referring to the Pope's recent statements condemning the war during a special prayer vigil in St. Peter's Basilica. This was at the same time that the United States and Iran were holding failed peace talks in Pakistan. "I much prefer his brother Louis because he's totally Maga. “He understood everything,” Trump insisted, accusing Pope Leo of “finding it acceptable that Iran possesses nuclear weapons.”
"I don't want a Pope who finds it terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a country that was sending huge quantities of drugs to the United States and, even worse, was emptying its prisons, pouring murderers, drug dealers, and violent criminals into our country," he continued. "And I don't want a Pope who criticizes the American president because I am doing exactly what I was elected to do , in a landslide victory: reducing crime to an all-time low and creating the greatest stock market in history."
The president even claimed credit for Louis Prevost's election: "Leone should be grateful to me because, as everyone knows, his nomination was a disconcerting surprise. He wasn't on any list of possible candidates and was chosen by the Church solely because he was American; in fact, it was believed that this was the best way to manage the relationship with President Donald J. Trump. If I weren't in the White House, Leone wouldn't be in the Vatican. Unfortunately , Leone's attitude, too weak on the crime and nuclear weapons fronts, doesn't sit well with me at all. Nor do I like the fact that he's meeting with Obama sympathizers like David Axelrod, a left-wing failure, one of those who would have liked to see faithful and clergy members arrested." Leone, Trump insisted, "should get a grip on his role as Pope, use common sense, stop pandering to the radical left, and focus on being a great Pope, rather than a politician. This behavior is causing him grave harm and, even more importantly, it is damaging the Catholic Church!
Trump himself posted an AI-generated image on his Truth profile, depicting himself as Jesus healing the sick. The post sparked further outrage and controversy.
Meloni's tweet
A tirade that sparked solidarity for the Pope from around the world: "On my own behalf and that of the Italian Government," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni tweeted, "I wish to extend to Pope Leo XIV my sincere thanks and best wishes for the success of his apostolic journey, which will take him to Africa for the first time and will include four countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. May the Holy Father's ministry foster the resolution of conflicts and the return of peace, both internally and between nations, following the path traced by his predecessors, and provide support and comfort to the Christian communities he will meet during his journey. Italy will continue to do its part to foster the construction of a new model of cooperation with the African continent and to support peace, development, and the well-being of its peoples ."
Mattarella's solidarity
Words of support also came from the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, with "the sense of deepest esteem and personal consideration" : "The strong call for peace, so urgent in such troubled times, as well as the invitation to unity and fraternity, will help foster awareness of the indispensable contribution that every individual and every community is called to make to overcome divisions and safeguard human dignity. I am certain that no one can remain indifferent to these solemn appeals, addressed especially to the younger generations, called to assume responsibility and experience the joy of becoming a fruitful seed of social and economic progress for their respective countries and communities ."
Iran's condemnation
Among the many international reactions to Trump's words, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also condemned the "insult" directed at Pope Leo "on behalf of the great nation of Iran." "I declare that the desecration of Jesus, the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is not acceptable to any free person. I wish you glory from Allah," the president added on X, referring to Donald Trump's words against the Pope and the photomontage portraying him as the Savior.
(Unioneonline/D)