During a phone interview with radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, Donald Trump claimed that Pope Leo XIV is “endangering a lot of Catholics” because of the pope’s stance on the Iran war. The comment came during a broader discussion about Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai, who has been jailed on charges of publishing “seditious material.”
According to Mediaite, Hewitt had pressed Trump to raise Lai’s case again with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which Trump agreed to do. Hewitt also said he hoped Pope Leo would speak about Lai’s situation, but Trump responded that the pope would rather focus on the Iran war.
This is not the first time Trump has gone after the pope over Iran. Back in March, Pope Leo spoke out against the war and criticized the use of Christian rhetoric to justify military action. Trump responded by attacking him on social media, calling him “weak on crime” and accusing him of siding with the “radical left.”
Trump and Pope Leo’s clash over Iran reveals a growing rift between Washington and the Catholic Church
Pope Leo has not said Iran should have nuclear weapons, but he has opposed the war, which Trump says is aimed at stopping Tehran’s nuclear program. The dispute grew worse in April, when the two exchanged sharp words publicly. Pope Leo later responded during a trip to Algeria, saying he was not afraid and would keep speaking out against the war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Pope Leo at the Vatican, and he pushed back on Trump’s comments, saying they were “mischaracterised.” According to Al Jazeera, Rubio said Trump’s concern was really about the threat Iran could pose to “places that have a lot of Catholics and Christians and others.”
Rubio also questioned why “anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,” and pointed to rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Tehran of “holding the whole world hostage” and putting commercial shipping at risk.
The Vatican also responded to the dispute. Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Pope Leo will “go ahead on his path, in the sense of preaching the Gospel [and] peace,” adding that Leo will speak about peace at every opportunity, “convenient and inconvenient.” Trump, who has faced repeated scrutiny over his public statements, recently made headlines when his son sparked debate over White House ownership.
The Rubio-Pope Leo meeting is expected to be “frank,” according to US Ambassador Brian Burch, who said Rubio is going to the Vatican “in that spirit, to have a frank conversation about US policy and engage in dialogue.” The meeting is seen as a significant moment given the current tensions between Washington and the Catholic Church.
Trump’s comments have drawn criticism from within the Catholic community. “This is a top-tier example of how Trump is using his platform to bully and silence those who disagree with him,” said one Catholic leader.
“It’s a sad day when the leader of the free world is more concerned with attacking the head of the Catholic Church than with finding solutions to the real problems facing our world.” Trump has also raised eyebrows with remarks about how long he intends to stay in office.
Some foreign policy voices have also criticized Trump’s remarks. “This is a president who has a track record of making reckless and inflammatory comments, and it’s clear that he has no idea what he’s talking about when it comes to international relations,” said one foreign policy expert.
Published: May 6, 2026 09:00 am