Pope Leo XIV denies ‘tyrants’ speech aimed at Trump

The US president has lashed out at the pontiff over his criticism of the war in the Middle East

Pope Leo XIV has sought to downplay his public spat with Donald Trump, rejecting claims that he was trying to challenge the US president with his criticism of the war in Iran and calls for peace.

Speaking to reporters aboard his flight to Angola on Saturday, the US-born pontiff insisted his remarks were not meant to be confrontational, while criticizing the media for inflating the row through excessive commentary and speculation.

“There’s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects… much of what has been written… has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said,” the pope said. He stressed that his remarks in Cameroon earlier this week, blasting leaders who spend billions on wars and describing the world as “ravaged by a handful of tyrants,” were not directed at Trump.

“And yet, as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate the president, which is not my interest at all,” he said.

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While the pope has criticized Trump’s policies in the past, including mass deportations and his description of Europe as “decaying,” the war in the Middle East has raised tensions between them. The pontiff called on all sides to “stop the spiral of violence,” and described Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization as “unacceptable.”

The pope also said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Americans to pray “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Trump, for his part, described the pope as “weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy,” adding that he did not want “a pope who criticizes the President of the United States.”

US Vice President J.D. Vance, who had previously criticized the pontiff, welcomed Leo’s latest remarks.

“I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this,” Vance wrote on X on Sunday. “While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict –and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen – the reality is often much more complicated.”