'Woe to those who manipulate religion': Pope appears to target Trump in new post

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

President Donald Trump's attack on Pope Leo XIV — while depicting himself as Jesus, and later, as embraced by Jesus — is being met with scorn and derision by some, and even disapproval by some of his most ardent Christian right supporters.

"Donald Trump is no stranger to picking fights," a Financial Times newsletter stated on Thursday. "But his most recent one — with the Pope, of all people — could prove his most consequential misstep."

For his part, the Pope appears unperturbed, and continues to go about his business of preaching the gospel. But he has not deviated, and, some might argue, is publicly using the Bible to protest Trump's war in Iran while calling for peace.

Trump had "issued a flurry of statements Sunday against Pope Leo XIV, saying in part that the U.S.-born pope supports Iran having a nuclear weapon," PolitiFact reported, noting that the Pope has repeatedly denounced nuclear weapons — and war itself.

"I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon," the president wrote in a lengthy broadside. "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."

Pope Leo has continued to promote his pro-peace, anti-war argument.

"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," he wrote on social media Thursday morning.

The Guardian reported that the Pope "did not mention Donald Trump by name, but used his speech in Cameroon on Thursday to denounce world leaders that invoke religion to justify violence against other nations."

On Wednesday, Leo wrote: "#Peace is everyone’s responsibility, beginning with civil authorities. To govern means to love one’s own country as well as neighboring countries. The commandment 'love your neighbor as yourself' is equally applicable to international relations!"

Also on Wednesday, the Pope wrote, "Let us reject the logic of violence and war, and embrace peace founded on love and justice—an unarmed peace, not based on fear, threats or weapons...The world thirsts for #Peace! Enough of war and all the pain it causes through death, destruction, and exile!"

"God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies," he wrote on Tuesday.

BREAKING: Pope Leo XVI says the world is being 'ravaged by a handful of tyrants' during a visit to Cameroon.
The remarks come amid his feud with U.S. President Donald Trump over the war in Iran.https://t.co/1wxbrJ2Hxo
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