Donald Trump makes false accusation against Pope Leo.
Trump Revives Pope Leo Feud With Explosive ‘Endangering Catholics’ Accusation
May 5 2026, Published 3:33 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump reignited his feud with Pope Leo XIV by accusing the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics.” This accusation came after Trump falsely claimed that the pope believes Iran should be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.
Trump made these comments during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, just days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Pope Leo at the Vatican.
This latest exchange highlights the ongoing conflict between the president and the first American-born pope over the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the Vatican’s advocacy for ceasefires and negotiations.
“Well, the Pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump stated, according to The Guardian. “I don’t think that’s very good.”
He continued, “I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people. But I guess if it’s up to the Pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Pope Leo has never said that Iran should have nuclear weapons. In fact, the Vatican leader has consistently opposed the war on Iran and has called for ceasefires and dialogue in the Middle East, as reported by The Guardian and Reuters.
These comments came as Rubio prepared for a Thursday meeting with Pope Leo at the Apostolic Palace. Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, stated on Tuesday that he anticipated a “frank” discussion about U.S. policy during the meeting.
Trump falsely accuses Pope Leo of wanting Iran to have nuclear weapons.
“Nations have disagreements, and I think one of the ways that you work through those is through fraternity and real dialogue,” Burch told reporters.
Burch noted that Rubio, who is Catholic, would approach the Vatican “in that spirit, to have a frank conversation about U.S. policy and to engage in dialogue.”
He dismissed the notion that there was a “deep rift” between Washington and the Vatican, emphasizing that the visit would help both sides understand each other better.
Rubio’s visit follows a series of public disagreements between Trump and Pope Leo. Trump criticized the pontiff in April after Leo condemned the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Trump labeled the pope weak and questioned his effectiveness as the leader of the Catholic Church, according to The Guardian.
Trump also posted an AI-generated image of himself in a Christ-like stance but later deleted it. He claimed the image represented him as a doctor.
Pope Leo is a citizen of Peru and will cheer for the nation over the United States in a football game.
Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, has also criticized Leo’s public comments. Vance stated that the Vatican should focus on moral issues and that Leo should exercise caution when discussing theology and war.
Rubio and Vance attended Leo’s inauguration last year and met with him privately the next day. During that meeting, they extended an invitation from Trump for the pope to visit the White House. Leo has not yet accepted the invitation.
The Vatican has indicated that Leo will continue to speak on peace despite Trump’s criticism. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, told reporters that the pope would keep “preaching the Gospel” and promoting peace.
Parolin mentioned that Leo would address peace whenever possible, both “convenient and inconvenient.”
Rubio is also expected to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during his trip. Meloni has supported Pope Leo following Trump’s remarks, while her defense minister has stated that the war in Iran threatens U.S. leadership, according to Reuters.