Pope Leo XIV has publicly responded after President Donald Trump made baseless claims that the Chicago-born pontiff supports Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The president doubled down on his attacks on the pope on May 4, claiming that the pope believes that Iran should have nuclear weapons.
Pope Leo XIV is pushing back hard against President Donald Trump after the commander-in-chief renewed his stunning claim that the Chicago-born pontiff supports Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The first American-born pope used a rare press encounter outside his Italian retreat to directly reject the accusation, just days before the Vatican is set to host Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a high-stakes meeting.
The exchange marks the latest flashpoint in a deteriorating relationship between the White House and the Holy See, one that has escalated into open hostility over the past several weeks as the administration’s military posture toward Iran has hardened.
Pope Responds From Castel Gandolfo
Speaking to reporters outside the papal villa of Castel Gandolfo on Monday, May 5, before returning to Rome after a daylong stay, Leo offered a measured but pointed rebuttal without ever uttering Trump’s name.
“I have already spoken from the first moment ‘Peace be with you.’ The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If anyone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully,” the pope said, according to remarks captured at the villa. “The Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years, so there is no doubt about that.”
The pontiff added that he simply hoped to be listened to “because of the value of God’s word.” He framed the broader controversy as a distraction from his pastoral duties, telling reporters he has “no interest at all” in being drawn into a personal feud with the American president.
Leo has been remarkably consistent on the issue. In a March 2026 video message, he warned, “May the nuclear threat never again dictate the future of humanity.” In June 2025, he called for a world “free from the nuclear threat” while pleading for peace between Iran and Israel. And on April 12, addressing Catholics gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica, he urged world leaders to choose dialogue over rearmament.
Trump Doubles Down on Hewitt Show
The pope’s response came after Trump, 79, escalated his attacks on Sunday, May 4, during an appearance on Salem News Channel’s “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” Asked why Leo has not spoken out about jailed Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai, Trump pivoted to Iran.
Trump has been hammering this theme for weeks. On April 12, the same day Leo delivered his peace appeal at St. Peter’s Basilica, the president posted on Truth Social: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.” Earlier that month, Trump had labeled the pontiff “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy” and posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ, drawing sharp condemnation from Catholic bishops and evangelical leaders alike.
Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, has also waded into the fight, suggesting the pope focus on morality rather than foreign policy — a comment Leo rebuked directly. The pontiff has been particularly forceful in criticizing the administration’s Iran war, calling the escalation of violence “unacceptable” and warning leaders against the “delusion of omnipotence.”
Rubio Heads to Rome Amid Tensions
Into this diplomatic storm steps Marco Rubio. The secretary of state traveled to Rome on Tuesday, May 6, and is scheduled to meet with the pope on Thursday morning, May 7. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio “will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere.”
Rubio has flatly denied that the trip is a damage-control mission. Filling in for press secretary Karoline Leavitt at Tuesday’s briefing, the secretary defended Trump’s characterization of the pope when pressed by a CNN reporter, arguing the president’s point was that Iran would use a nuclear weapon “against places that have a lot of Catholics and Christians and others.”
Rubio also accused Tehran of “holding the whole world hostage” with its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, saying he could not understand why anyone would think it was a good idea for Iran to possess nuclear arms. U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch has reportedly been working to keep diplomatic channels open as the rhetoric flies.
A Pope Weighing His Words
Asked by an EWTN reporter whether his earlier statement that “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war” applied even to those acting in self-defense, Leo offered a nuanced answer.
“Self-defense has traditionally always been allowed by the Church,” he said, before adding that the nuclear age has fundamentally complicated the ancient concept of just war. He argued that dialogue and humanitarian spending are vastly preferable to feeding “the arms industry, which gains billions and billions of dollars each year.”
Whether the Thursday meeting between Rubio and Leo can lower the temperature remains uncertain. Asked whether he might comment afterward, the pope offered a single word: “perhaps.”