Pope Leo XIV on Monday responded to criticism from President Donald Trump, telling reporters while traveling to Algeria that he has “no fear” of the White House.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration, nor speaking out loudly about the message of the gospel. That’s what I believe in. I am called to do what the church is called to do,” Pope Leo said.
The pope on Saturday addressed world leaders and called for an end to conflict, without explicitly mentioning the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. “Enough of war,” Pope Leo said during an address in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Trump then posted on social media calling the pope “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”
Pope Leo XIV addresses journalists during the flight heading to Algiers on April 13, 2026. Pope Leo XIV embarks today on an 11-day visit to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea for his first major international trip since becoming pontiff last year.
Alberto Pizzoli/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
On Monday, Pope Leo said that his comments “are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone and the message of the gospel is very clear, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.'”
“I will not shy away from pronouncing the message of the gospel, of inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges for peace and reconciliation, of looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible,” Pope Leo continued. “To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here I think is not understanding what the message of the gospel is and I’m sorry to hear that.”
Responding to another question from reporters, Pope Leo said of the apparent tensions with Trump, “I do not look at my role as being political … I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.”
“I will continue to speak out loud against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue, multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems,” he said. “Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say, ‘There’s a better way to do this.'”
Pope Leo XIV boards his plane heading to Algiers at Rome’s Fiumicino airport on April 13, 2026.
Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images
-ABC News’ Melissa Adan and Victoria Beaule
