Trump Escalates Vatican War, Refuses Apology to Pope Leo

President Trump told CBS News on Monday that Pope Leo is "wrong on the issues" as he refused to apologize for calling the pontiff "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy" in a Truth Social post Sunday night.[3][4] The confrontation escalated following a 60 Minutes segment in which three American cardinals echoed Pope Leo's recent criticisms of Trump's policies on mass deportations and the Iran war.[2][3] The feud centers on two major policy disagreements. Pope Leo has sharply escalated his rebukes on the Iran conflict, moving from prayers for peace to rare condemnations of Trump's rhetoric.[1] Shortly before a ceasefire was negotiated on April 8, Trump threatened to destroy Iranian civilization, prompting Leo to call the president's comment "truly unacceptable."[1] On immigration, the pope is signaling his priorities by spending July 4—when the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary—at a European entry point for migrants rather than in America, demonstrating solidarity with those displaced by the administration's mass deportation policies.[1] In a Palm Sunday homily, Pope Leo appeared to reference the religious language of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, warning that Jesus "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war."[1] The Vatican's resistance marks a striking departure from typical papal diplomacy, with the pontiff typically avoiding direct criticism of world leaders. Trump's response has been unusual in its personal nature. In his Truth Social post, he claimed credit for Leo's election as pope, writing: "Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn't on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American."[2] When confronted with the backlash, including from Christian conservatives, Trump refused to apologize and reiterated his position that Leo should "not be getting into politics."[3] Pope Leo has shown no signs of retreating. In response to Trump's attacks, the pontiff stated he has "no fear of the Trump administration," signaling his willingness to continue confronting the president on moral grounds.[6] According to Cardinal Blase Cupich, Leo's stand is rooted in his conviction that "his top priority right now is to be with those who are downcast and marginalized."[1] The escalating feud represents a rare moment of open conflict between the White House and the Vatican, with Trump rejecting any reconciliation and the pope standing firm in his moral opposition to the administration's foreign and immigration policies.