‘He's Wrong’: Trump Refuses To Apologise To Pope Leo, Says ‘He Is Very Weak On Crime’

Last Updated:April 14, 2026, 03:23 IST

Trump's remarks came after the Vatican leader said that he will continue to speak against the war in West Asia after.

US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) refused to issue an apology to Pope Leo XIV on his derogatory comments against the pontiff over the ongoing Iran war, saying that the latter said things that are wrong.

While addressing the reporters from the Oval Office, the US President doubled down on his criticisms after was questioned about his remarks towards the US-born Pope.

“There’s nothing to apologise for. 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. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result," Trump said, adding, “I think he’s very weak on crime and other things so I’m not" going to apologise.

“He went public," Trump added. “I’m just responding to Pope Leo."

Trump’s remarks came after the Vatican leader said that he will continue to speak against the war in West Asia in response to the Republican leader’s rare direct attack on him.

Speaking to Reuters aboard a papal flight to Algeria, the first American pope said the Christian message was being abused. “I don’t want to ​get into a debate with him (Trump). 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.

Pope Leo, originally from Chicago, has emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli war on Iran. In a peace appeal on Saturday, Leo urged world leaders to end what he called the “madness of war" as American and Iranian delegations met in Islamabad for high-level talks aimed at ending the war, which ended without any agreement. The pope decried the use of religious language to justify war and said a “delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us is becoming increasingly unpredictable".

In an apparent response to Pope Leo, Trump launched an unusual and highly personal attack on the Catholic Church leader, calling him “weak on crime" and “terrible on foreign policy".

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about “fear" of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart," he said on the Truth Social platform.

Trump said he did not want a pope who criticised American policies, adding that Leo was only appointed as church leader because of the US president. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican. Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me," he added.

News world ‘He's Wrong’: Trump Refuses To Apologise To Pope Leo, Says ‘He Is Very Weak On Crime’

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