Pope Leo XIV responds to Trump's criticism, emphasizes peace on African tour

Pope Leo XIV stated that the Vatican's calls for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel and that he does not fear the Trump administration. Speaking on a papal flight to Algiers at the start of an 11-day tour to four African countries, Leo said he would continue to speak out against war and promote dialogue and multilateral relationships to find solutions to problems. He highlighted the suffering of many innocent people and the need for someone to advocate for a better way. This comes after United States President Donald Trump criticized Leo on social media, calling him "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy," and stating he does not "want a Pope who criticises the President of the United States." Trump's comments appeared to be a reaction to Leo's recent criticisms of the US-Israel war on Iran, including a rebuke of Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization and comments on a "delusion of omnipotence" fueling war. Leo had also previously questioned the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Trump further wrote on Truth Social that he does not want a Pope who thinks it is acceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons or who thinks America's actions in Venezuela were terrible. Trump suggested Leo should focus on being a "Great Pope, not a Politician" and even claimed credit for Leo's election, implying the Vatican chose him to curry favor with the White House. Trump reiterated his dislike for Leo, calling him "not doing a very good job" and a "very