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Posted on 05/06/2026 9:41:00 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Pope Leo XIV pointed out May 5 that the Catholic Church has long opposed nuclear arms after President Donald Trump falsely claimed the Pontiff had made a “statement” saying “Iran can have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump reiterated the accusation against the Pope for the third time during a May 4 radio interview, when host Hugh Hewitt raised the case of Jimmy Lai, a Catholic pro-democracy advocate serving a 20-year prison sentence. Hewitt said Pope Leo should say more on Lai’s behalf. The Chinese Communist Party’s targeting of Lai and other Catholic leaders has put mounting pressure on the Vatican to disentangle itself from a controversial deal with China, first signed in 2018. As Zeale News reported, the Holy Father said he could not comment when asked about Lai’s sentencing in March.
"The Pope would rather talk about the fact that it's okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don't think that's very good," Trump said. "I think he's endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people. But I guess if it's up to the Pope, he thinks it's just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon."
Trump had made the same claim weeks earlier in an April 12 Truth Social post in which he wrote, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.” He later told reporters that evening, “We don’t like a Pope that’s gonna say that it’s okay to have a nuclear weapon.”
On April 16, Trump went so far as to claim Pope Leo had explicitly said the Iranian regime could have a nuke. “The Pope made a statement – he says, ‘Iran can have a nuclear weapon,’” the President told reporters.
Reporter: Why are you fighting with the pope?
Trump: I have to do what's right. I have nothing against the pope.
Reporter: Then why are you fighting with him?
Trump: I’m not fighting with him. The pope made a statement saying Iran can have nuclear weapon.
Reporter: He didn’t say that.Trump: I can disagree with the pope. I have the right to do that.
pic.twitter.com/bxD6H9ctcb— Acyn (@Acyn) April 16, 2026
Pope Leo has never publicly said Iran should be permitted to develop nuclear weapons. Rather, he has repeatedly denounced nuclear arms, urging the United States and Russia to renew the New START treaty and calling on world leaders to eliminate nuclear weapons entirely as an “urgent moral imperative,” as Zeale News reported.
The Pope’s comments reflect the Church's longstanding opposition to nuclear arms, a position held by the leaders of the Church since Pope Pius XII spoke out against such weapons in 1943 — more than two years before the Trinity test and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Asked about the President’s claims, the Pope stressed that "the mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, to preach peace.”
"The Church has spoken for years against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt about this," the Holy Father said. "If anyone wishes to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so with the truth."
Trump’s criticism arrives amid wider debate over the Holy Father’s outspoken opposition to U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
During his Palm Sunday homily, delivered as the conflict entered its second month, Pope Leo quoted the prophet Isaiah, saying “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.” The homily prompted criticism from Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, who pointed to the Church’s just war tradition and said it was “very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”
Shortly afterward, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a clarification on just war teaching, saying the Pope’s remarks aligned with Church doctrine and were not a personal theological departure.
>> US bishops push back on Vance’s ‘just war’ comments <<
A reporter asked the Holy Father May 5 whether his Palm Sunday remarks applied to nations acting in self-defense as well as aggressors.
"Self-defense has traditionally always been allowed by the Church,” the Pope said. He described just war doctrine as "a very complex problem" requiring analysis "on many levels," but said the nuclear era had changed the terms of that debate.
"Ever since the entrance into the nuclear age, the whole concept of war has to be reevaluated," he said. "I always believe that it's much better to enter into dialogue than to look for arms and to support the arms industry, which gains billions and billions of dollars each year."
“I simply hope to be listened to because of the value of the word of God,” he said, emphasizing that he has spoken clearly since the start of his papacy. “From the first moment I was elected — and now we are close to the anniversary — I said: ‘Peace be with you.’”
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Trump’s point is a general one that those opposing the war in effect are saying they would accept Iran continuing with its nuclear development.
Of course the church opposes nuclear weapons and anyone who kicks puppies, that doesn’t mean they have an effective policy to do anything about it.
That’s a whole lot of equivocating to mask that Leo waded into the political realm, and tacitly defended a country with an active nuclear weapons program that was threatening the West since 1979.
By claiming the immorality of the U.S. intervening to prevent Iran from getting nukes, the Pope has effectively said that Iran can have nukes.
A bit of sophistry, I admit - but justified in this case.
Regards,
doesn’t the Church have more important fights than that against DJT????or maybe i should ask more accurately: doesn’t “the Pope” have more important fights.......
Well said, and spot on. I would just add that the Church may oppose anyone who kicks puppies, but did not clean house when pedophilia was exposed in the Church (and how long did they know before it was exposed?).
Well said. That's not sophistry in my book. The Pope is trying to have it both ways.
Not sophistry ... just simple logic. Actions have consequences.
If I have the ability to prevent you falling into a pit, and fail to do so, then I have allowed you to fall into a pit.
If I have the ability to prevent “Rogue Nation X” developing nuclear weapons, and fail to do so, then I have allowed “Rogue Nation X” to develop nuclear weapons.
Pope is doing omission here. A failure to act when it’s a duty to act as they are aware of the consequences of not doing anything.
Like entirely too many clergy throughout Christendom, he is so caught up in opposition to war that he cannot understand that war is sometimes necessary.
Everyone should not only let Trump manage this, they should know Trump will manage this
But you can’t fix it People oppose him with a vengeance
All the Pope did was say that no one should do anything, (talking and writing strongly worded letters are fine), to actually keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon! Trump doesn’t understand the nuance of that position! He thinks someone must do something to keep something from happening.
Nope. This heretic was elected pope for one purpose and one purpose only, to go after Donald Trump. The simpleton homos in the Vatican thought Americans would listen to an “American” pope even if he’s a homo loving, pedophile protecting, commie, who spent most of his adult life in Peru.
“Trump: I’m not fighting with him. The pope made a statement saying Iran can have nuclear weapon.”
Doubt any Pope said that. Pope probably said he was opposed to the US invasion of Iran or something like that.
Trump (and many of us) believe that without an invasion of Iran that Iran would end up with nukes.
So while Trump’s quote may not be precise you end up in the same place. Those who oppose the US’s effort in Iran are indirectly helping Iran get nukes.
This is a slicker version of Pope Frankie. Bogus
The deceptive label "pedophilia" is intended to deflect from the truth that the sex scandals were almost exclusively sodomite priests preying upon pubescent and post pubescent boys. I mean, could you in your wildest dreams envision men engaged in a gay profession (journalism) exposing the millennia-long preference of gay men for young boys?
Everyone knows what Trump said and meant...had he not acted Iran would have a nuke. And the Pope never spoke out about that.
Its the mindset with which Obama and company regard their 'voters', and shows a profound ignorance. Considering Leo has been collaborating with Axelrod I might not be toi far off the mark that Leo was 'installed'.
isaiah 1:15 is not spoken about people waging war. It’s addressed to Israel, which God calls “you rulers of Sodom... you people of Gomorrah” Further on in the chapter God says:
“See how the faithful city has be3come a harlot!
She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her - but now murderers!
Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.
Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves;
they all love bribes and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.
Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares:
“Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.
I will turn my hand against you;
I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.
I will restore your judges as in days of old,
your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”
Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.
But rebels and sinners will both be broken,
and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
“You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted;
you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen.
You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water.
The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark;
both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.
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