leading American figures clash

Frontline American figures, President Donald J. Trump and Pope Leo XIV have jettisoned their camaraderie and threw verbal punches at each other.

Pope Leo on Saturday, led a prayer service for peace in Rome, and while he did not mention Trump by name, his comments seemed aimed at the ongoing war.

“Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!” the pope said. “True strength is shown in serving life.”

Reacting, Trump published a lengthy attack on Pope Leo XIV on Sunday night, calling the first U.S.-born pope “terrible on Foreign Policy,” citing Leo’s opposition to the ongoing war in Iran and U.S. military action in Venezuela and stating that his pontificate is hurting the church.

“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday night. “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.”

Trump made similar comments to reporters on Sunday gathered at Joint Base Andrews.

Trump’s post came shortly after “60 Minutes” aired an interview featuring three U.S. Cardinals – Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark and Robert McElroy of Washington – who were critical of  Trump’s foreign policy objectives and his deportation strategies at home.

In introducing the “60 Minutes” segment, CBS News journalist Norah O’Donnell said that Leo had become “increasingly outspoken” against the Trump administration’s policies, and that the pope has emerged as a voice of moral opposition to the war in Iran and the administration’s mass deportation campaign.

O’Donnell asked the three cardinals whether they would like to see Leo be even more outspoken on issues that he disagrees with. Tobin said that the pope is “the pastor of the world, he’s not a pundit.”

“So the distinction is that he’s not going to pronounce on everything, but he’s going to pronounce on what’s important,” Tobin said.

On April 7, Trump threatened Iran, posting on social media, “a whole civilization will die,” which prompted Leo to respond, saying such threats were  “truly unacceptable.”

CNN reported that Pope Leo XIV on Monday strongly pushed back against criticism from US President Donald Trump, defending his position of seeking peace and rejecting violence amid the Iran war.

“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do,” the pontiff told reporters aboard his plane as he started a 10-day trip to the African continent.

“We are not politicians, we don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective (as) he might understand it,” he continued. “But I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.”