Pope Leo defies Trump, vows to keep speaking out against war

Pope Leo has told Reuters that he plans to continue speaking out against war following a direct attack from US President Donald Trump on the leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church.

In comments made aboard the papal flight to Algiers, where the first US pope is beginning a 10-day tour of four African countries, the pontiff said the Christian message was being “abused.”

“I don't want to get into a debate with ⁠him,” Leo told Reuters as he greeted journalists on the plane. “I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.”

“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems,” he said, speaking in English.

“Too many people are suffering in the world today,” Leo added. “Too many innocent people ⁠are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there's a better way.”

“The message of the church, my message, the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the Peacemakers. I do not look at my role as ⁠being political, a politician,” he said.

Leo, originally from Chicago, has in recent weeks emerged as an outspoken critic of what he described as the US-Israeli war on Iran, and has decried the “madness of ⁠war” in a peace appeal on Saturday.

Trump, in an apparent response to the pope’s criticisms of both the conflict and the White House’s hard-line immigration policies, said late on April 12 that Leo was “terrible.”

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The comments came as Leo addressed journalists while traveling, with an unrelated statement also noting: “I am here with the Defense Minister, the Chief of Staff, the Regional Commander, the Division Commander, and our reserve soldiers.”

By Vafa Guliyeva