POLITICS — April 13, 2026

Trump Calls Pope Leo 'Weak' and 'Very Liberal' Over U.S. Policy Criticisms

Former U.S. President Donald Trump called Pope Leo 'weak' and 'very liberal' on social media in response to the pope's criticisms of U.S. policies on Iran, Venezuela, and immigration. Pope Leo, speaking at a prayer gathering, advocated for peace through dignity and forgiveness.

The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Khaama Press2 min read

Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo on Monday via his social media platform, calling him "weak" and accusing him of aligning with the "far left."

Trump's remarks came in response to the pope's criticism of U.S. policies, including military action against Iran, pressure on Venezuela, and strict immigration measures. "I am not a big fan of Pope Leo. He is a very liberal person," Trump stated.

Pope Leo, born in Chicago, spoke during a prayer gathering, emphasizing peace through moral responsibility, dignity, understanding, and forgiveness. He has consistently criticized Trump's policies on migration, war, and humanitarian issues.

The exchange underscores tensions between political leaders and religious figures on matters of war, migration, and ethics.

Read the original reporting at Khaama Press

Reliability assessment

Single source (Khaama Press) provides direct, on-record attribution with concrete quotes from Trump via social media and details on Pope Leo's statements, making 'Trump said X' verifiable regardless of topic sensitivity.

The source language mixes facts with framing or advocacy wording. Khaama Press: "sharp verbal attack" and "growing war of words" use aggressive, conflict-oriented framing to emotionally load the reporting; "intensifying criticism" and "widening divide" imply escalating division with mild advocacy phrasing.

Across the newsrooms

Filed by

Filed under

PoliticsDonald Trump, Pope Leo, US politics, Iran

Spotted an error or have more on this story? Tip the desk on Telegram → or WhatsApp →.

Reader supported

Keep Ehtebar running

Every published story uses paid tools to translate reporting, compare sources, extract claims, and produce a clearer read on Afghanistan. Reader support helps keep that work independent.

€5

helps cover daily verification runs

€15

supports a week of source comparison

€50

keeps independent analysis moving