Pope Leo XIV brushed off personal attacks by President Donald Trump over his pointed criticism of the war in Iran.
The 79-year-old president responded to the 70-year-old pontiff's calls for peace by taking credit for his rise to the papacy and lambasting Leo as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy" Sunday night.
But the first U.S.-born pope told reporters early Monday he would not be drawn into a feud with Trump, reported the New York Times.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do," the pope told reporters aboard the papal plane. "We are not politicians. We don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.”
Leo insisted that his message of peace was not meant as an attack on anyone in particular and said his role was not political.
“I do not look at my role as being political, a politician," Leo said. "I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.”
“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems," he added. "Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed, and I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”
Leo did allow himself a wry comment on Trump's personal attacks in a Sunday night post on his social media platform Truth Social.
“It’s ironic — the name of the site itself," Leo said. "Say no more.”