Trump and Pope Leo XIV trade barbs over Iran war and immigration

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff in history, has become an unexpected and outspoken critic of the Trump administration's military campaign in Iran and its mass deportation policies, drawing sharp rebukes from President Trump and Vice President JD Vance in an unusually public rift between the leaders of the world's most powerful nation and its largest Christian denomination. The conflict erupted following Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28 with joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The pontiff quickly expressed deep concern, urging parties to halt the spiral of violence. His criticism intensified as the war progressed, with Leo condemning Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization as "unacceptable" and publicly questioning the moral basis of military action. A two-week ceasefire was agreed on April 7, but the verbal sparring continued. Trump took to social media to call the Pope "WEAK on Crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy," claiming incorrectly that Leo endorsed Iran having nuclear weapons. The president also posted an AI-generated image depicting himself in the likeness of Jesus Christ, later claiming it depicted a doctor, and deleted the post after backlash. Vice President Vance, himself a Catholic convert, advised the Pope to "stick to matters of morality" and focus on the Catholic Church rather than dictating public policy. However, American Catholic bishops have largely rallied behind Leo, with Cardinal Michael Czerny stating the church's role is to "speak truth to power." On April 16, while traveling in Cameroon, the Pope issued a stark warning against those who "manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain." Trump, meanwhile, maintained he has "a right to disagree" with the Pope and stated a meeting was unnecessary to resolve the dispute.