U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after disembarking Air Force One as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., April 12, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Political analysts and observers mocked President Donald Trump on Sunday night after he issued a lengthy diatribe against Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo has sharply criticized the Trump administration's immigration policies and its war with Iran. Those criticisms seem to have gotten under Trump's skin, as he raged at the "weak" Pope for his handling of "crime" and "foreign policy" in a new post on Truth Social.
"I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon," Trump wrote. "I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country."
"And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History," he added. "Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. 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 (sic) in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican."
Political analysts and observers reacted on social media.
"Bro, go to bed," Rep. Malcom Kenyatta, a Democrat in Pennsylvania, posted on X.
"I've never been closer to converting to Catholicism than this moment," physician Eric Strong posted on Bluesky. "I have absolutely no intention of ever doing so - but this is still the closest I've been."
"Trump is a f------ lunatic," writer Polly Sigh posted on X.
"Way to build coalitions. Attack the Pope!" writer Wajahat Ali posted on X.