Pope Leo XIV dismisses tensions with Trump, says focus remains on global peace

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday dismissed suggestions of a rift with Donald Trump, expressing regret that his earlier remarks were interpreted as a response to criticism from the US leader.

Speaking to journalists while traveling to Angola, the pontiff explained that he had no intention of engaging in any form of debate with Trump.
He cited as an example a speech delivered in Cameroon on Thursday during the second phase of his African tour, where he spoke about “tyrants” destabilizing the world. According to him, the message had been prepared long before Trump made remarks about him and his peace advocacy.
Despite this, Leo noted that the speech was widely perceived as an attempt to provoke a fresh exchange with the US president—an interpretation he firmly rejected.
He added that much of the subsequent reporting had focused more on analyzing interpretations rather than the original message itself.
During his visit to Bamenda in Cameroon’s conflict-affected northwest region, the pope had condemned “tyrants” responsible for global instability. The region has been at the center of a prolonged separatist crisis that has claimed thousands of lives.
However, some US media outlets interpreted the pope’s comments as directed at Trump. Leo clarified that this narrative was inaccurate and did not fully reflect the intent behind his words.
Earlier, on April 12, Trump had publicly stated that he was “not a big fan” of the pope, accusing him of engaging with Iran in a way he considered inappropriate, particularly over concerns about nuclear weapons.
The former president later reinforced his stance on social media, stating he did not support a pope who appeared tolerant of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He further criticized Pope Leo, describing him as weak on crime and ineffective in foreign policy.