Pope Leo said his “mission is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace” as he pushed back against attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump accusing him of effectively endorsing Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear weapon. The pontiff, who has publicly opposed the U.S. and Israeli push toward war with Iran, told reporters he would keep calling for peaceful solutions even as critics — including the U.S. president — attacked his stance.
Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt this week that the Pope was “endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people” because, he alleged, the pontiff “thinks it’s fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” The Pope has not made such a statement. Trump also used social media to disparage Pope Leo as “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy,” and claimed the Church elevated him because he was American. A later post depicting Trump in a Jesus-like pose was briefly shared and removed; the president later told reporters he thought the image showed him “as a doctor.”
The Vatican’s response has been measured but firm. Quoting Reuters, Pope Leo said he hoped to be heard “because of the value of God’s words” and welcomed criticism so long as his message of peace was considered on its merits. He has repeatedly stressed a pastoral opposition to war — saying last month, “As a pastor, I cannot be in favour of war” — and has urged leaders to seek “answers that come from a culture of peace and not from a place of hate and division.”
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The dispute comes as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio travels to the Vatican for a two-day visit described by the State Department as an opportunity to “advance bilateral relations” with Italy and the Holy See and to discuss developments in the Middle East and shared interests in the Western Hemisphere. Rubio told reporters the trip had been planned before the recent flare-up and denied he was going to Rome specifically to smooth tensions between Trump and the Vatican, though he acknowledged “there was a lot to talk about.”
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch sought to downplay the row, telling journalists there was no “deep rift” and that differences between nations are worked through by “fraternity and authentic dialogue.” He said Rubio’s meetings could help both sides “talk through” disagreements. The spat has also strained ties between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — once a close ally of the U.S. president — after Meloni publicly defended the Pope and criticised calls for war in the Middle East. She indicated she expected to meet Rubio during his visit.
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Vice-President J.D. Vance, a recent convert to Catholicism, backed Trump’s criticism and suggested the Vatican should “stick to matters of morality.” The exchange underscores a growing tension between U.S. political leaders taking hawkish positions on Iran and the Vatican’s role as a moral voice urging restraint. With the Vatican positioned to influence global public opinion and diplomacy, Rubio’s visit will be watched as a test of whether Washington and the Holy See can weather the public disputes without allowing them to impede collaboration on regional crises.
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