United States President, Donald Trump, has launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV, describing him as “weak” on crime and “terrible” on foreign policy amid rising tensions over the Iran war.
The criticism came in a late-night post on Truth Social, where Trump also shared an artificial intelligence-generated image depicting himself dressed as Jesus, performing acts of healing.
The development follows recent remarks by Pope Leo XIV condemning Trump’s warning that “an entire civilisation will die tonight” in reference to Iran, which the pontiff described as “unacceptable.” The Pope further suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” was contributing to escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran.
Responding to the criticism, President Trump stated that he does not “want a Pope who criticises the President of the United States,” while accusing the Catholic Church leadership of overreach during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the same post, Trump made a controversial claim linking his presidency to the Pope’s emergence, suggesting that his election influenced the Church’s decision in May 2025.
“Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise,” Trump wrote.
“He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.
“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
The President further urged the Pope to “get his act together,” calling on him to focus on religious leadership rather than politics.
Following the remarks, Trump posted an AI-generated image portraying himself in religious imagery—depicted as Jesus healing the sick—surrounded by symbolic elements including eagles, fighter jets, and the Statue of Liberty. The image has since drawn widespread reactions online, adding to the controversy surrounding his comments.