THE FACT OF THE MATTER
BY PAUL HOPKINS
The criticism of Donald Trump by Pope Leo XIV over the US president’s depiction of himself as Jesus and Trump’s dismissal of the American-born pontiff as “not doing a good job” is nothing new. Tensions between the two have been bubbling under since before this latest war of words. Ahead of the conclave that selected Leo last year, the Republican leader posted an AI image of himself as the pontiff. And more recently is the US Administration’s assertion that God is on their side in their war on Iran.
(Even Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian made a concerted attack on the “desecration of Jesus”).
Although the cardinals elected the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history, Trump has not had any direct contact with Leo, apart from this escalating war of words.
Trump has refused to apologise. In a hastily called Press conference, he said: “He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result. I think he’s very weak on crime and other things so I’m not going to apologise.
“He went public. I’m just responding to Pope Leo.”
That response followed Leo pushing back on Trump’s verbal attack against him the previous day, saying the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation were rooted in the Gospel and that he didn’t fear the Trump Administration. “I think [Trump] is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” he said.
Leo, at a service at St Peter’s Basilica, said a “delusion of omnipotence” was fuelling the US-Israel war in Iran. The comments came the same day that the US and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. The Pope had earlier named Trump directly and expressed optimism that the US president would seek “an off-ramp” in Iran. And an even stronger condemnation came after Trump warned of mass strikes against Iranians and that “an entire civilisation will die tonight”. Pope Leo described it as a “threat against the entire people of Iran” and said it was “truly unacceptable”.
Leo’s comments have defined him as the most vociferous and visible international opponent to Trump. Yet, the Chicago-born pontiff, known for his low-key style, did not pick this fight. Having spent much of his adult life in the Order of St Augustine, with vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and a focus on community, his priorities are unity and building bridges. He has used much of his first year in office listening and making gradual changes. He has also emphasised the importance of institutions such as the United Nations (UN) and respect for international law, while the US leader has said he is not bound by those norms.
Although he’s a more reserved personality than his predecessor, Pope Francis, the US military operation in Iran has brought out Leo’s inner nerve, and a willingness to speak out in forthright terms – like deciding to name Trump personally. While he has not named other members of the administration, his remarks that “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war” appears to allude to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s freneticism to frame the conflict in the Middle East in religious terms.
Popes calling for peace and opposing war is not new. Pope John Paul II strongly opposed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. With an American pope, however, it’s different. Leo speaks English as his native tongue, something that has not happened since the 12th century, and his words cut through to a US audience, the White House and beyond. Trump’s further fall from grace in the mid-term polls shows a backlash among the ultra-Christian alt-right – arguably the bulk of his MAGA support – over his depiction of the Christ. Some even arguing he is the Anti-Christ, as allegedly foretold by the Book of Revelation.
Meanwhile, even Europe’s rightwing leaders’ alliance with Trump is slipping over the president’s religious outbursts.
Now, JD Vance is in the arena, saying the Pope needs to be “careful” when talking about theology and “should remember the Just War theory” – [morally permissible] – when talking about Iran.
Vance’s mention of the Just War theory is telling. Developed over centuries, the teaching is frequently used by military analysts as an ethical and moral criteria for armed conflict. Ironically, one of its primary proponents was St Augustine of Hippo, the spiritual father of the religious order that Leo belongs to …
