‘i’m Sure The Pope Is A Great Guy’: Trump Insists He’s Not Warring With Leo But Then Spreads Lie About Catholic Leader

President Donald Trump connected Thursday claimed to not person immoderate beef pinch Pope Leo XIV and suggested that his aggregate attacks against nan American-born Bishop of Rome are simply nan merchandise of a disagreement complete Iran’s atomic weapons programme — thing nan pontiff has ne'er spoken publically about.

Speaking to reporters extracurricular nan White House earlier he departed for a bid of governmental appearances successful Las Vegas and Arizona, Trump denied that he was “fighting” pinch Leo while simultaneously claiming that nan Pope had voiced support of Iran’s correct to person a atomic weapon.

“I'm not fighting pinch him. The pope made a statement. He says Iran tin person a atomic weapon. I opportunity Iran cannot person a atomic weapon,” Trump said.

Leo, whose existent sanction is Robert Prevost, has ne'er said Iran should beryllium permitted to person atomic weapons and has many times spoken retired against them, including successful a March 5 video successful which he prayed that “nations renounce weapons and take nan way of speech and diplomacy” truthful nan “the atomic threat” would “never again dictate nan early of humanity."

Nonetheless, nan Chicago autochthonal has recovered himself successful Trump’s crosshairs since earlier this week aft he criticized nan president’s rhetoric towards Iran, including his threats to onslaught civilian infrastructure and his informing that Iran’s “whole civilization will dice ... ne'er to beryllium brought backmost again” past week arsenic he pressured Tehran to agree to a ceasefire deal and unfastened nan Strait of Hormuz.

After nan pontiff called Trump’s bellicose threats against Iranian civilians “truly unacceptable,” nan president lashed retired connected Truth Social precocious Sunday pinch a station blasting Leo arsenic “WEAK” connected crime and “terrible” connected overseas policy, posted arsenic portion of a late-night spree that besides saw him upload an AI-generated image of himself arsenic Jesus.

Pressed further by reporters connected why he was continuing to feud pinch nan leader of nan world’s 1.4 cardinal Catholics, Trump said he had “to do what is right.”

“The pope has to understand that this is nan existent world. It's a nasty world. But arsenic acold arsenic nan pope and saying what he wants, he tin do that. ... I'm judge nan Pope is simply a awesome guy. I haven't met him but I disagree pinch nan pope, if nan pope would let Iran to person a atomic weapon,” he said.

The president’s effort to little nan somesthesia connected his days-old pontifical tiff comes days aft his late-night Truth Social tirade against nan 267th successor to Saint Peter, seemingly successful consequence to Leo’s repeated calls for peace.

During an April 11 dream service, Leo appeared to knock nan U.S.-Israeli warfare against Iran erstwhile he decried what he called "delusion of omnipotence that surrounds america and is becoming progressively unpredictable and aggressive."

"Enough of nan idolatry of aforesaid and money!" nan pope said. "Enough of nan show of power! Enough of war! True spot is shown successful serving life."

The adjacent day, Trump’s societal media screed rattled disconnected a lengthy database of grievances against Leo, took in installments for his predetermination by nan College of Cardinals past year, and warned that nan Windy City autochthonal “should get his enactment together arsenic Pope, usage Common Sense, extremity catering to nan Radical Left, and attraction connected being a Great Pope, not a Politician.”

When asked astir nan president’s comments by reporters walking pinch him en way to Africa that aforesaid day, Leo said he had “no fearfulness of nan Trump management aliases speaking retired loudly of nan connection of nan Gospel.”

"I do not look astatine my domiciled arsenic being political, a politician. I don’t want to get into a statement pinch him. I don’t deliberation that nan connection of nan Gospel is meant to beryllium abused successful nan measurement that immoderate group are doing,” he said.

Trump’s unfastened feuding pinch nan Pope has drawn disapproval from moreover immoderate of his adjacent supporters, including Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, who is simply a personnel of nan president’s White House belief liberty commission.

Barron said it was Leo’s occupation to speak astir matters of Catholic doctrine, called Trump’s onslaught connected nan pontiff “entirely inappropriate and disrespectful” and added that he thought Trump “owes nan Pope an apology.”

Trump besides targeted Leo pinch different Truth Social station connected Wednesday, writing: “Will personification please show Pope Leo that Iran has killed astatine slightest 42,000 innocent, wholly unarmed, protesters successful nan past 2 months, and that for Iran to person a Nuclear Bomb is perfectly unacceptable.”

And while his remarks to reporters appeared to beryllium an effort to little nan somesthesia amid criticism, conscionable hours earlier he near nan White House constabulary successful New Lenox, Illinois announced that they’d responded to a explosive threat astatine nan location of John Prevost, 1 of Leo’s brothers.