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Posted on 04/17/2026 8:14:44 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
President Donald Trump on April 16 defended his criticism of Pope Leo XIV’s stance on the Iran war, saying he has a right to disagree with the Holy Father and that a meeting is not necessary to resolve their differences.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said he has “no disagreement with the fact the pope can say what he wants, and I want him to say what he wants, but I can disagree.”
“I want him to preach the Gospel. I’m all about the Gospel,” Trump said of Pope Leo at another point. “But I also know you cannot let a certain country, which is a very mean-spirited country, have a nuclear weapon. If they did, they would use it, and I think they’d use it quickly, and they would kill many millions of people.”
.@POTUS: "I want him to preach the Gospel, I’m all about the Gospel. But I also know you cannot let a certain country, which is a very mean-spirited country, have a nuclear weapon. If they did, they would use it... So the pope can disagree." pic.twitter.com/dW6b3HnQov— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) April 16, 2026
Trump argued that the Holy Father “has to understand” that if Iran did have a nuclear weapon, “every country — including Italy, where he’s stationed — every single country in the world would be in trouble.”
When asked if he would meet with Pope Leo in person to work out their differences, Trump said, “I don’t think it’s necessary.”
🚨 JUST NOW: President Trump says he doesn't need to meet with Pope Leo
"Would you meet with the Pope to even out your differences?"
TRUMP: "I don't think it's necessary." pic.twitter.com/PHyu3H9iEl— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 16, 2026
The remarks follow multiple public condemnations Trump has directed at the Holy Father in recent days. In a scathing April 12 post on Truth Social, Trump called Pope Leo “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.” He also said the Pontiff should “get his act together as Pope” and claimed credit for his election, as Zeale News previously reported.
In a separate April 14 post, Trump wrote, “Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable.”
On April 13, Pope Leo told reporters that he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and will continue to proclaim the message of the Gospel, which is “what I believe I am called to do, what the Church is called to do.”
The Holy Father has repeatedly called for a ceasefire since the Iran war began Feb. 28 and criticized Trump’s April 7 threat to destroy Iran’s “whole civilization” if Tehran did not agree to U.S. demands. After Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly referenced God in connection with the war, the Pontiff also warned against invoking religion to justify the conflict.
Throughout his papacy, Pope Leo has consistently called for peace across several regions of the world. Speaking on April 16 during a meeting dedicated to peace in Bamenda, Cameroon, Pope Leo said, “Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”
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Prevost isn’t necessary for anything.
If he really wants peace, he should send missionaries!
Trump is not trying to tell the Pope how to run his demonic cult so the Pope should not tell Trump how to do his job!
The pope is a Marxist above all else. His past tweets prove it, his current comments prove it even more. He’s a commie.
How presumptuous for anyone to even consider that Trump should meet with the nope, probably with her in hand. Why would / should he? Why is he more special than any other commie?
Says the guy who posted this on Easter Sunday.
Hat in hand, not her in hand. 😵💫
The Catholic Church is all about a made-up gospel. Purgatory is nowhere in the Bible.
I’ll take Trumpism over Popeism any day
I am no longer Catholic, but I really like Trump taking on the commie pope.
Somebody has to do it.
Pope Bobby needs to buy himself a prayer rug, a Kufi and a set of Misbaha beads to pray with the muzzies in the room that he set aside in the Vatican Library for them to pray in. Next, he’ll be bringing in foot baths for them.
Did you attend Jumah Service today DoodleBug?
Same here.
If his popeiness persists in political medaling, the Church must have it tax exempt status in the US revoked post haste!
I’ll take God over sin any day.
Why would he want to have a Dem negotiating?
What’s Jumah?
They should do it anyway.
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