President Trump has reignited his feud with Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics”.
Trump hit out at the religious leader during an interview discussing the jailed Hong Kong businessman Jimmy Lai, whose case he plans to raise with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month.
When the host of the The Hugh Hewitt Show suggested the Pope should also raise the issue of Lai’s detention, Trump quickly pivoted to an attack on the leader of the Catholic church.
“Well, the Pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said Sunday. “I don’t think that’s very good.
“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 has repeatedly clashed with the American-born Pope in recent weeks, as they stand at odds on many issues, ranging from the war to immigration.
Last month the Pope took issue with Trump’s threat that a “whole civilization will die” in Iran, branding the extraordinary outburst as “unacceptable”. The Pope also suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” was fueling the Iran war and other conflicts, in a veiled jab at the U.S. president.
In response, Trump branded the Pope as “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy”, while also stating that he preferred the pontiff’s brother, Louis, whom he claims is “all MAGA”.
The president then went on to post a picture of himself as Jesus healing the sick, a meme that sparked widespread backlash including from his own supporters.
The Pope, meanwhile, has said he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and stressed he does not want to debate the president.
However, Trump’s latest swipe at the pontiff comes at a delicate time, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to meet with the Pope in Italy this week.
A spokesperson for the State Department told USA Today that Rubio would be visiting Rome from May 6-8, with the purpose of advancing “bilateral relations with Italy and the Vatican”.
Rubio and the Pope are expected to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East, but according to USA Today Cuba is also on the agenda.
The U.S. has ramped up pressure on the country this year, particularly after forcibly removing Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro from power in January.
In February, the Pope expressed “great concern” over rising tensions between Cuba and the United States and called for a “sincere and effective dialogue” between the two countries. Pope Leo also prayed for the patron of Cuba to watch over the country.
“May the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre assist and protect all the children of that beloved land,” he said.
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