Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that comments he made criticizing global abuses of power were not aimed at President Donald Trump, dismissing suggestions that the two leaders are engaged in a public feud.
Speaking to reporters while flying to Angola, the third stop on his Africa tour, the American-born pontiff said his recent address warning of a world dominated by “a handful of tyrants” was written well before Trump publicly criticized him.
He said the speech reflected long-standing church positions on war and peace, not any specific political leader.
“That is not my interest at all,” the pope said, adding that he had no intention of entering a political debate and that his message had been filtered through a partisan lens.
The comments followed a sharp exchange earlier in the week after Trump accused the pope of being “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” responding to the pontiff’s opposition to the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Trump also briefly posted, then removed, an image of himself resembling Jesus on social media that drew criticism from some Christian leaders. The president said he thought it was a picture of him “as a doctor.”
Despite the criticism, Leo said he would continue urging an end to armed conflict and calling for negotiations, particularly amid growing concerns over nuclear escalation.
The tension surfaced again Thursday during a Mass in Cameroon, where the pope condemned leaders who invoke religion to justify violence or consolidate power. He warned against exploiting faith for military, political or economic purposes, saying such actions corrupt what is sacred.
Trump has also dismissed the idea that he and the pope are in conflict.
“I’m not fighting with him,” Trump said. “I have a right to disagree with the pope.”