Trump Renews Attack on Pope Over Iran Remarks
US President Donald Trump has again publicly criticized the head of the Catholic Church, Leo XIV. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable."
On the same day, the pope warned of the risk of democracies sliding into "majoritarian tyranny". He said democracies remain healthy only when they are rooted in moral values.
Iran does not possess nuclear weapons, while the US does. Israel is widely regarded as the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons.
Western states believe Iran is seeking a nuclear bomb or at least the capability to produce one quickly. Tehran has consistently denied this, citing its membership of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.