Trump lashes out at Pope Leo XIV over Vatican meeting with "useless" Chicago mayor
Washington, DC, May 31
US President Donald Trump launched a sharp rhetorical attack against Pope Leo XIV and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson following their recent meeting in Rome, suggesting that Vatican officials should have cautioned the pontiff against hosting the Democratic leader, whom he labelled as "useless".
Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday, the Republican leader expressed his disapproval of the diplomatic engagement in Italy. "Someone should explain to the Pope that the Mayor of Chicago is useless, and that Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon!" Trump wrote.
As part of his digital broadside, the US President attached screenshots of social media updates previously uploaded by Johnson on X, which documented the mayor's audience with the head of the Catholic Church at the Vatican on Friday.
The shared photographs captured Johnson presenting the pontiff with a miniature version of the Chicago municipal flag. The duo was also seen smiling while displaying a Chicago Cubs baseball cap, a notable gesture given that the pontiff is widely known to be a supporter of the rival White Sox team. Notably, Leo is the first American to ascend to the papacy and was born in Chicago.
The sharp remarks from the US President appear to have reignited his highly publicised friction with the head of the Vatican. Trump has previously targeted the pontiff over the latter's vocal opposition to the military conflict involving Iran.
Furthermore, the President has previously accused the religious leader of being "weak" on criminal justice matters, while aggressively asserting that the pontiff was comfortable with Tehran acquiring atomic capabilities.
Detailing his grievances regarding global security and foreign policy directions, Trump reiterated his staunch opposition to the pontiff's theological and political stances. "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don't want a Pope who thinks it's terrible that America attacked Venezuela," he wrote.
In the same statement, the President firmly rejected external oversight regarding his domestic mandate, adding, "I don't want a Pope who criticises the President of the United States because I'm doing exactly what I was elected to do."
Expanding on his security concerns, Trump has also charged the pontiff with "endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people", alleging that the religious leader's diplomatic stances inadvertently condone the development of nuclear armaments by the Iranian regime.
The Vatican has not shied away from the political crossfire, with the pontiff having previously addressed the steady stream of criticism emanating from Washington. Reaffirming his theological independence, the pope previously stated that he is "not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian Catholic, this pains me 🙏 The Pope is supposed to promote peace and dialogue. Trump's obsession with Iran is concerning - hasn't he seen what happened with the Iraq war? The Vatican is right to speak out against nuclear proliferation. Maybe Trump should focus on his own country's problems first!
Interesting how Trump calls the Mayor "useless" but the Mayor got a meeting with the Pope! From an Indian perspective, we understand how powerful symbolism is - even our PM meets religious leaders often. But to attack a Pope publicly? That's crossing a line. Behenchod, show some respect for the Holy See!
Living in Chicago, I can tell you Brandon Johnson has been a disaster for the city - crime is out of control. But Trump attacking the Pope is just... wow. The Pope is a fellow Chicagoan and religious leader. Trump needs to learn some diplomacy. India has shown how to balance strong leadership with respect for all faiths.
Trump saying "I don't want a Pope who criticises me" - that's not how democracy works, bhai! In India, we have the RSS and other organizations that sometimes question the government. The Pope has every right to speak on moral issues. Iran having nukes is bad, but attacking Venezuela? That was unnecessary American intervention.
The Pope giving a Chicago Cubs hat to another Chicagoan - that's sweet! But Trump turning this into a political fight shows his insecurity. India has always valued the Vatican's moral voice. We saw Pope Francis speak on climate change and poverty. Trump should take a cue
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.