'For Him It Is Okay': Trump Thinks Pope Is 'Endangering Catholics' By Backing Iran

Last Updated:May 05, 2026, 21:43 IST

Trump renews feud with Pope Leo XIV, accusing him of endangering Catholics as Marco Rubio heads to the Vatican to ease tensions over the Iran war.

Ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Vatican, US President Donald Trump has reignited his feud with Pope Leo XIV, accusing him of “endangering a lot of Catholics".

Speaking to Hugh Hewitt, a prominent conservative radio talkshow host on the US-based Salem News network, Trump said the Pope “would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good".

“I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people," the US president added. “But I guess if it’s up to the pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon."

The remarks come two days before Rubio’s scheduled visit to Rome and the Vatican in an effort to ease tensions sparked by Trump’s previous remarks against the Chicago-born pontiff over his condemnation of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The US President had launched a series of direct and increasingly personal attacks on Pope Leo XIV over his criticism of the Iran war, calling him “WEAK on Crime" and “terrible for Foreign Policy" and even questioning why he was elected Pope. He also accused Leo of acting like a politician and said his actions were harming the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV has consistently called for restraint, ceasefire, and dialogue, warning against escalation and highlighting the humanitarian cost of conflict. In his interventions, he cautioned against what he described as the “delusion of omnipotence" that fuels wars and criticised the use of religion to justify military action.

News world 'For Him It Is Okay': Trump Thinks Pope Is 'Endangering Catholics' By Backing Iran

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