Pope Leo XIV calls for 'unarmed peace', reiterates anti-war stance

Pope Leo XIV called for an "unarmed peace" in an X post on Wednesday. While touring Africa, he strongly opposed ongoing wars, referencing the conflict in Iran. The Pope described this peace as "disarming" and able to "resolve conflicts," and reiterated calls to end the suffering caused by war.

"Let us reject the logic of violence and war, and embrace peace founded on love and justice—an unarmed peace, not based on fear, threats, or weapons. This peace is disarming, because it is capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts, and generating trust, empathy, and hope. I strongly reiterate: The world thirsts for peace! Enough of war and all the pain it causes through death, destruction, and exile!” the Pope wrote on X.

The Pope's comments come after he was criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump and a few top officials in his administration. On Wednesday, Trump criticized the Pope's calls for peace as he stated that Iran had committed the murders of 42,000 innocent protestors in a Truth Social post. "And that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable," he added. Earlier, he had called the Pope weak on crime and claimed that he would not have been Pope had Trump not been elected to the White House.

Trump is not the only one to have criticized the leader of the Catholic Church of late. Vice President JD Vance did the same at a Turning Point event, urging the Pope to be careful when speaking about theological matters. Pope Leo XIV has been vocal against the war in Iran, implying that God was not on the side of those who wage it. However, Vance has a different point of view.

"There is more than a thousand-year tradition of 'Just War' theory. We can have disagreements whether this or that conflict is just but I think that it is important, the same way it is for the Vice President of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it is very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology," the Vice President said. House Speaker Mike Johnson, too, came out in defense of their criticism of the Vatican. "A religious leader can say anything they want, but obviously if you wade into political waters, you should expect some political response," he said in a media interaction. "I think the Pope has received some of that."