President Trump blasts Pope Leo in lengthy social media post; USCCB responds: Pope Leo is not a politician

April 13, 2026

In a lengthy social media post last night, President Donald Trump offered strong criticism of Pope Leo XIV.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” President Trump began. “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.”

The president continued:

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. 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.

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 in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.

Referring to the Pontiff’s April 9 audience with David Axelrod, senior advisor to President Barack Obama (2009-11) and chief political analyst for CNN, President Trump added:

Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested.

The president concluded, “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church! President DONALD J. TRUMP”

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, responded:

I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father. Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Social media post (Truth, @realDonaldTrump, 4/12/26)
• Archbishop Coakley’s Response to President Trump’s Social Media Post on Pope Leo XIV (USCCB, 4/12/26)