Pope Leo addresses 'the rich and powerful' in new message as Trump feud rages on

Pope Leo addresses 'the rich and powerful' in new message as Trump feud rages onPope Leo addressed the 'rich and powerful' in a new message today - as the Vatican's feud with Donald Trump and JD Vance continuesCommentsNewsEthan Blackshaw Deputy Publishing Lead18:54, 15 Apr 2026Updated 19:03, 15 Apr 2026View Image(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Pope Leo addressed the need to resist "the whims of the rich and powerful" today after being criticised by Donald Trump.‌The Pope, who is currently touring Africa, urged Cameroon's government to resist the super wealthy while speaking in front of President Paul Biya.‌"It is time to examine our conscience and take a bold leap forward," he told Biya, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute and other leaders.‌"In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption - which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility - must be broken," Leo said in an unusually direct speech for a papal trip overseas."Hearts must be set free from an idolatrous thirst for profit." He also called for an end to the Anglophone war in Cameroon, in which thousands of people have been killed.It comes amid a growing back and forth between the Pope and Trump, with the US president attacking the pontiff over his criticism of the Iran war, and the Pope responding that he has "no fear" of the Trump administration.‌On Sunday, Trump slammed the pope as "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy" before telling reporters: "I'm not a fan of Pope Leo.""Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," the president wrote in a scathing Truth Social post, adding: "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon."Yesterday, the Pope issued a message on X addressing "the arrogant". He said: "God's heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies. But our Fath...