Pope Leo XIV waves on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli
President Donald Trump has pulled an about-face after months of feuding with Pope Leo XIV, per a report from The Daily Beast, sharing the Catholic leader's words to try and defend his disastrous Iran deal.
The U.S. and Iran this week signed a major new deal to end their ongoing conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while also creating a 60-day ceasefire for further negotiations. Other provisions in the deal, including a $300 billion fund for Iran to rebuild and the lifting of sanctions on the Middle Eastern nation, were met with considerable vitriol from Republicans, with some tarring it as possibly the “worst foreign policy blunder in decades.”
"Under the framework, Iran would regain access to frozen assets, receive sanctions relief, and continue to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage," The Daily Beast explained in its Thursday report. "But broader questions surrounding nuclear power, missiles, regional proxies and long-term enforcement remain unresolved, with some critics describing the deal as a monumental strategic failure."
One surprising figure who was supportive of the deal, prior to the release of its full terms, was Pope Leo, who shared a post on Monday praising the progress being made towards peace.
“I welcome with satisfaction the reaching of an agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, which will be signed on Friday, as an encouraging result of patient work in dialogue and negotiation,” the Pope's post read. “I hope that the agreement may help strengthen mutual trust, security, and stability in the Middle East, promoting paths of dialogue and cooperation among peoples.”
Prior to this, the Trump administration had been engaged in a seemingly one-sided feud with the first-ever American Pope, making public statements chastising him over comments calling for treating immigrants with dignity and decrying the violence of the war in Iran. In that context, then, it was surprising to see Trump take to Truth Social on Thursday with a post sharing news of the Pope's support for the deal, in an attempt at countering his own party's discontent.
“Oil is flowing, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon (the world will be safe!), the stock markets are roaring, jobs are at records, and prices are dropping (affordability!)," Trump's all-caps post read. "Our country is strong, safe, and respected like never before. 'you’re welcome!'"
In its report, the Daily Beast also highlighted further criticism of the deal from former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, now a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.
“This agreement is far worse than I expected,” McFaul said. “To reopen the Strait — a Strait that was open before the war — we and our partners are transferring billions to the autocrats. We get nothing else — no elimination of enriched uranium, missiles or terrorist support."
