Pope says he is not afraid of Trump after criticism over war in Iran

Pope Leo XIV has said he is not afraid of criticism from Donald Trump and will continue to convey the messages he believes need to be heard after coming under harsh criticism from the US president over the war in Iran.

According to CNN, Pope Leo XIV said he would not enter into debate, pointing out that his remarks were not intended as an attack on anyone, and urged people to seek ways of building bridges to peace and reconciliation and to avoid war whenever possible.

"I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do. We are not politicians, we don't deal with foreign policy with the same perspective (as) he might understand it," he said.

The Pope's comments came after Trump said on the evening of 12 April that he was "not a fan" of the Pope and that he doesn't "like a pope that's going to say that it's OK to have a nuclear weapon".

In the beginning of April, the Pope described the ceasefire between the United States and Iran as "a sign of true hope". In February, the Vatican refused to join the Board of Peace initiated by US President Donald Trump.

In 2026, Pope Leo marked his first Easter as pontiff.