Pope Leo unlikely to visit US during Trump presidency: Report
President Donald Trump has made blunt and straightforward statements a signature of his diplomacy. As U.S. President, Trump has often shocked political commentators and leaders with his capitalized posts on Truth Social and unforgiving remarks about political adversaries and world leaders. From calling the Iranian regime "crazy b******ds" to relating dyslexia to intellectual disability, the President's posts have been central to many critical conversations. And the most recent among them invited a strong reaction from the Vatican as well.
On Tuesday, after President Trump posted about the possibility of wiping out "a whole civilization" on Truth Social, Pope Leo called the statements "unacceptable". "Today, as we all know, there was this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable," he said, as per a Reuters report. "There are certainly issues here of international law, but even more than that, it is a moral question for the good of the (world's) people," he had added. Now, a report by The Free Press claims that the alleged friction between the Vatican and the Trump administration had started in January, when Cardinal Christophe Pierre (who was serving as Pope Leo's personal envoy to the United States) was allegedly given "a bitter lecture" by U.S. defense officials, suggesting the Pope should take the American military's side.
The report also claims that Leo, the first American-born Pope, refused Trump's invitation to attend the nation's 250th anniversary events; instead, Pope Leo will visit the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa on July 4. Mattia Ferraresi, who wrote the article, said in a post on X that "he didn't pick that date by accident". The report also claimed that the Pope may never visit the United States under Trump's presidency.
The Pentagon has, however, labelled the contents of the report as "an exaggeration". In a statement to The Independent, a War Department official said that The Free Press's characterisation of the meeting was "highly exaggerated and distorted." The official said that the meeting was a "respectful and reasonable discussion." "We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See," the official was quoted as saying.
Over the Easter weekend, Pope Leo's statements have largely diverged from the U.S. President's posts. While President Trump has threatened Iran with an escalation of war, the Pope has continued to urge for an end to wars, saying God rejects the prayers "of those who wage war." Pope Leo also welcomed a fragile ceasefire, currently in place as negotiations between Tehran and Washington continue. "In light of these past hours of great tension for the Middle East and for the whole world, I welcome with satisfaction... the announcement of an immediate two-week truce," the Pope said in his weekly audience.
