Trump Criticizes Pope Leo XIV with False Nuclear Claim

The next month, as Israel was about to invade Iran, he declared, The situation in Iran and Israel has deteriorated gravely, and in such a delicate moment, I would like to renew strongly an appeal to responsibility and reason. The commitment to creating a safer world, free from the nuclear threat, should be pursued through respectful encounter and sincere dialogue. Days later, the pope declared, The Church is brokenhearted at the cry of pain rising from places devastated by war… We must never get used to war! Indeed, the temptation to have recourse to powerful and sophisticated weapons needs to be rejected. In a July 2025 statement commemorating the anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he stated that nuclear armaments offend our shared humanity and urged people to reject the illusion of security founded on mutually assured destruction. He has continued to advocate for global disarmament, urging governments to work toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament. Trump’s claims about Pope Leo’s supposed position on Iran having a nuclear weapon have escalated over the course of the week. In a social media post Sunday night, Trump wrote, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.” Vice President JD Vance also criticized Pope Leo, telling him to “stay out of politics” and focus on “matters of morality.” Pope Leo has strongly opposed the ongoing U.S. and Israeli-led war with Iran, calling for peace and condemning threats of violence. The clash has become increasingly personal, highlighting tensions between the Vatican and Washington, particularly notable given that Pope Leo is the first American to lead the Catholic Church. The organization representing the nation's Catholic bishops issued a statement endorsing Pope Leo XIV's statements on the Iran war. “For over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has taught just war theory and it is that long tradition the Holy Father carefully references in his comments on war,” the statement stated. The statement addressed JD Vance's criticism, stating that states can only legally take up arms in self-defense if peace attempts fail. “When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology… He is preaching the Gospel and exercising his ministry as the Vicar of Christ,” the statement read. People all over the world have echoed Pope Leo's calls for peace. He keeps saying that it's important to talk things over, be nice, and not fight to settle problems.