Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard the papal flight from Malabo to Rome, April 23, 2026, at the end of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. Andrew Medichini/Pool via REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Pope Leo XIV took a fresh swipe at President Donald Trump’s administration after the Justice Department on Friday moved to resume federal executions, condemning the death penalty as an attack on human dignity.
The American-born pontiff delivered the remarks just hours after the Justice Department lifted a moratorium on capital punishment and signaled a return to methods including firing squad executions, the Daily Beast reported.
“The Catholic Church has consistently taught that each human life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is sacred and deserves to be protected,” Leo said in a video message. “Indeed, the right to life is the very foundation of every other human right... In this regard, we affirm that the dignity of the person is not lost even after very serious crimes are committed.”
He added that effective detention systems can protect society without resorting to executions.
“Pope Francis and my recent predecessors repeatedly insisted that the common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment,” he said. “Consequently, the church teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.”
The comments mark the latest clash between the pope and the White House, following earlier tensions over Trump’s strikes on Iran. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Trump has not directly addressed the new criticism of his administration, the Daily Beast noted.