Pope Leo rejects 'abuse' of Gospel, doubles down on anti-war message after Trump's tirade
Pope Leo XIV addresses journalists during the flight heading to Algiers on April 13, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS
Pope Leo told Reuters on Monday that he plans to continue speaking out against war after US President Donald Trump's direct attack on the leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church.
In comments aboard the papal flight to Algiers, where the first US pope is starting a 10-day tour to four African countries, the pontiff also said the Christian message was being "abused".
"I don't want to get into a debate with him," Leo told Reuters as he greeted journalists on the plane. "I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing."
Pope Leo XIV responded to President Trump’s social media post saying:
“I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. 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.” pic.twitter.com/9y7ZuhwYy2"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 said, speaking in English.
"Too many people are suffering in the world today," said Leo. "Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there's a better way."
"The message of the church, my message, the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the Peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political, a politician," he said.
Read: Trump says he’s ‘fine’ if Iran skips talks after negotiations fail, says ceasefire holding well
Trump shared an AI-generated picture of himself clad in a Christ-like attire, healing an old man, in a post on Truth Social right after lashing out at Pope Leo XIV in a separate post early on Monday.
His depiction of himself as Jesus, while surrounded by soldiers, nurses and warplanes in the distance, has earned criticism from Tehran, US politicians and religious figures alike.
AI-generated image from Trump's Truth Social account
It has been speculated that the old man being healed by Trump is possibly disgraced financier and registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, if not, a potentially wounded veteran in a hospital bed.
Social media influencer and Democratic commentator Harry Sisson shared on X, "Trump is now posting AI images of himself as Jesus Christ healing, what appears to be, a young Jeffrey Epstein."
Trump is now posting AI images of himself as Jesus Christ healing, what appears to be, a young Jeffrey Epstein. pic.twitter.com/zG2OQKbP9s
Arizona's State Senator Mark Kelly found it 'abhorrent' as a Catholic that "the President of the United States would publicly attack the Successor of St Peter. Donald Trump is flailing," in response to Trump's post from late Sunday calling the pope 'weak' and 'terrible' for his criticism of the administration's immigration policies and the war on Iran.
As a Catholic, I find it abhorrent that the President of the United States would publicly attack the Successor of St. Peter. Donald Trump is flailing. His war in Iran has led to the death and injury of American servicemembers and the death of Iranian children. He will attack… pic.twitter.com/fl5d1G2QVP
Kelly also criticised the war on Iran that has led to the "death and injury of American servicemembers and the death of Iranian children." "He will attack anyone or anything to try to protect himself, even the Church that millions of Americans find faith and comfort in every day," he said.
Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene also took to X, denouncing Trump's lashing out at the Catholic Church, saying, "President Trump attacked the Pope because the Pope is rightly against Trump’s war in Iran and then he posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus."
On Orthodox Easter, President Trump attacked the Pope because the Pope is rightly against Trump’s war in Iran and then he posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus.
This comes after last week’s post of his evil tirade on Easter and then threatening to kill an… pic.twitter.com/mq27jxJEntUS Representative for Ohio's Eleventh Congressional District denounced the image as well.
There aren’t enough words to denounce how wrong this is. pic.twitter.com/yvE4CyecFi
Iranian Broadcast and embassies have also spoken out against Trump's tirade.
One post condemned Trump's 'insult to the respected Christian religious authority Pope Leo XIV.'
We condemn Donald Trump's insult to the respected christian religious authority Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex ! pic.twitter.com/I9TRMQRJLy
Another post referenced an old video of Hassan Nasrallah, a Lebanese Shia cleric who was martyred in 2024 by Israeli forces attacking Hezbollah.
Seeing Trump's derogatory remarks on Pope Leo XIV , I remembered this excerpt from Martyr Nasrallah's Speech :
"Christ will return... Will he be a supporter of the criminal killers who shed the blood of millions of people in order to have power over oil, money and markets?
Or… pic.twitter.com/C9XuqQZp9AThe political messaging in the AI-generated image and the post before is not lost on anyone interacting with it.
It resonates with much older art as well, such as the "American Progress", an 1872 painting by John Gast, a Prussian-born painter, printer, and lithographer who lived and worked during the 1870s in Brooklyn, New York.
"American Progress" by John Gast, 1872. SOURCE: PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGE
While the painting is seemingly idyllic with the rolling pastures and muted colours, the looming angelic figure in the centre is unnerving, especially when looking at the depicted Native Americans running away from it.
The image posted by Trump with him as the centre of 'progress' or 'healing', mixing in Catholic imagery with modern warfare, appears as an extension of such imagery.
The difference between the two (apart from the medium itself) is that Gast painted his observation of the United States almost a century after its independence from colonial rule, whereas Trump wholly believes in his vision of America as a looming, destructive force.