Pope Leo Dismisses Trump’s Nuclear Claims and Urges His Critics to Speak ‘Truthfully’

(SeaPRwire) –   Pope Leo has rebuffed recent criticisms from President Donald Trump, asserting that neither he nor the Catholic Church endorses nuclear armaments, and urged his detractors to maintain honesty in their remarks.

The American-born pontiff made these comments following President Trump’s claim that the Pope’s position regarding the war in Iran is “endangering Catholics and a lot of people.”

“But I guess it’s up to the Pope. He thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” the President stated during a Monday interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.

However, while departing the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday evening, Leo countered the White House, stating that the “mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, to preach peace.”

“If someone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let him do so truthfully,” he remarked.

“For years, the Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt on that point,” he added.

The Pope reiterated the necessity of prioritizing dialogue over the escalation of conflict.

“I always believe that it is much better to enter into dialogue, than to look for arms, and to support the arms industry, which gains billions and billions of dollars each year,” he said.

Leo has been a vocal opponent of Trump’s war with Iran, consistently advocating for a strategy rooted in diplomacy and communication.

These critiques have provoked Trump’s frustration, with the President labeling the pontiff “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” after Leo advocated for a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict.

Steve Millies, a professor of Public Theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, noted to TIME that Leo’s perspective carries significant weight as the first American-born Pope.

“Pope Leo has poked at the vulnerability of this Administration’s argument for the war in Iran. Everyone in the world can see that the Administration didn’t really make the case before the war. We can see that the war does not satisfy the criteria for a just war,” he stated.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with the Holy See on May 7 at the Vatican to address various topics, including the Middle East conflict.

When asked on Tuesday if the visit was intended to mend relations with the Pope following Trump’s remarks, Rubio denied the claim.

“No, I mean, it’s a trip we had planned from before,” Rubio stated during a White House press briefing.

Regarding Trump’s assertion that the pontiff was “endangering Catholics,” Rubio maintained that the President was not targeting the Pope personally.

“What the President basically said is that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon because they would use it against places that have a lot of Catholics, and Christians, and others,” Rubio explained.

Millies noted that the visit is crucial for preserving ties between Washington and the Holy See.

“As a general matter, a new Administration always wants to make sure that this relationship is intact,” he explained. “The Holy See doesn’t have a lot of physical power, it can’t wage a war, it doesn’t command an enormous amount of money, but the Church is everywhere, and diplomatically, the Holy See is very important even for a power like the United States.”

Trump’s criticism of the Pope, alongside a now-removed AI-generated image portraying himself in a Jesus-like manner, has sparked backlash among conservatives and Christians.

A survey conducted in late April revealed that 87% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s post, while 66% expressed support for Leo’s calls for a peaceful resolution.

Millies suggests that Trump likely believes many Catholic voters—a group he won by 12 points in the 2024 Presidential election—will remain politically loyal despite the friction with the Pope.

“I do think there are Catholics for whom that’s going to work, but for most Catholics, having the President of the United States attack the Pope over and over in this pointed way, pushes a button. It excites a reaction, and the reaction is not one that’s going to play well for President Trump or for the Republican Party,” he said.

Leo, who celebrates his first anniversary as Pope this Friday, expressed hope that his meeting with Rubio would foster “a good dialogue,” conducted “with trust and openness,” to facilitate mutual understanding.

Millies also highlighted that the visit serves as a political opportunity for Rubio, who is widely considered a potential Republican Presidential candidate for 2028.

“Rubio’s performance on this trip is something to watch closely, not only as the role of Secretary of State in trying to turn the temperature down and making it a little easier for Catholics to line up with the Republican Party,” he noted. “But also important, from Rubio’s point of view, to note the contrast with how JD Vance pedantically lectured the Pope about theology.”