Pope Leo said Monday he doesn’t want to get into a debate with President Trump after the commander-in-chief blasted the pontiff for his rebukes of the Iran war.
The pontiff, 70, said he would continue to speak out against conflict, promoting peace instead.
“I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” Leo said on the papal plane en-route to the Algerian capital Algiers ahead of a 10-day African tour.
“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.
“Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”
The Catholic Church head has consistently condemned the Iran war – without mentioning Trump by name.
Leo’s rebuke came after Trump slammed the pontiff for being “weak on crime,” and “terrible for foreign policy.”
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country,” Trump wrote in a blistering Truth Social tirade.
“And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”
He also claimed the Pope wouldn’t be in the Vatican if Trump hadn’t won the 2024 election.
“Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician,” he said.
“It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church.”
Trump told reporters after landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, that he wasn’t a “fan” of Pope Leo.
“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job,” he said.
Leo had called out the “delusion of omnipotence” that he believes is fuelling the war in the Middle East.
With Post wires.
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