Pope Leo denies that he wants Iran to have nuclear weapons.
Pope Leo Fires Off Sharp Response to Trump’s Baseless Iran Claim
May 6 2026, Published 3:42 p.m. ET
Pope Leo XIV rejected President Donald Trump’s claim that he supports Iran having nuclear weapons. He stated that the Catholic Church has long opposed nuclear arms and that critics should accurately represent his public position.
The pope spoke to journalists Tuesday night after leaving the papal retreat in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. This came after Trump attacked Leo's stance on the war in Iran. Trump accused the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics” and claimed, without evidence, that Leo believed Iran should have a nuclear weapon.
Pope Leo says he is unfazed by his critics and will continue to do his job.
“The mission of the church is to preach the gospel, to preach peace,” Leo said, as reported by The Guardian. He added that anyone wanting to criticize him for preaching should be truthful, emphasizing that the church has opposed nuclear weapons for years.
Leo’s remarks directly rebutted Trump, who made his comments during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. Trump stated that the pope “would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” adding, “I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”
The pope has not supported Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. He has consistently criticized the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and called for cease-fires and dialogue. His public statements have also reflected opposition to nuclear arms. Leo said Tuesday that the church’s mission was to preach peace and that it had opposed nuclear weapons for years.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin also responded Wednesday, calling Trump’s comments “strange.” When reporters asked how he viewed the president’s statements, Parolin said, “For me it seems a bit strange, to say the least.”
Rubio says that he isn't meeting the Pope to smooth things over with his Trump feud.
While he declined to share a personal opinion, he noted that Pope Leo would listen carefully during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday.
Rubio’s meeting at the Vatican takes place during a tense time between the Trump administration and the Holy See. Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, expected a “frank” conversation between Rubio and Leo, while downplaying suggestions of a major rift between Washington and the Vatican.
This dispute follows previous clashes between Trump and the pope over Iran and U.S. policy. In April, Trump criticized Leo as “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy” after the pope condemned the war. Trump also shared, then deleted, an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Christ-like figure, according to The Guardian.
Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, is approaching the first anniversary of his papacy. He was not expected to address reporters this week, based on The Guardian's report, but chose to respond after Trump repeated the nuclear claim. His comments focused on church teaching, peace, and the truthfulness of public criticism.
The meeting with Rubio is expected to address recent tensions and U.S. policy. Parolin mentioned he imagined the discussions would cover “everything that has happened in recent days.”