Pope Leo has responded to the scathing criticism fired his way by President Donald Trump.
Trump, as people the world over should be well accustomed to by now, does not respond well to criticism. Nor does he tend to entertain the idea that individuals aren’t fully onboard with what he is trying to do.
Ask the most fanatic MAGA supporters, and they’ll tell you it’s one of his strengths. Ask people who aren’t ardent Trump loyalists, and you’ll get a completely different answer, one likely implying that the POTUS handles obstacles and obstinate naysayers much like a five-year-old who hasn’t eaten dinner on time.
In any case, Pope Leo is one of the latest to find himself in Trump’s crosshairs, having called out the ongoing conflict in Iran and criticized the “delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive.”
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Pope Leo said. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life.”
Just a few days earlier, he had urged Trump and the other world leaders involved in the conflict to reconsider.
“I would simply say, once again, what I said in the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ message on Sunday: asking all people of goodwill to search, always, for peace and not violence; to reject war, especially a war which many people have said is an unjust war, which is continuing to escalate and which is not resolving anything,” the American-born pope said.
He further reminded Trump that striking civilian infrastructure is against international law.
“Let’s remember especially the innocent children, the elderly, the sick, so many people who have already become or will become victims of this continued warfare.”
Earlier today, April 13, Trump took to Truth Social to lambast Pope Leo, writing: “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart.
“I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. 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.”
Trump went on to speculate the Pope Leo owes his position to Trump becoming president, writing: “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.”
Responding to Trump’s tirade, Pope Leo told Reuters that it was not his intention to become embroiled in a debate with the president.
“I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” Leo told the outlet. “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,” 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.”
What do you make of the situation? Let us know in the comments.
