Fact Check: Is Trump's claim that Pope Leo supports nuclear weapons in Iran true?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the geopolitical tensions that have intensified following the collapse of the peace talks between the United States and Iran, President Donald Trump took a jab at Pope Leo XIV over his recent anti-war comments tied to Iran, including the allegation of supporting Iran’s nuclear program. Let us fact-check the president’s comments.
Claim: Donald Trump says Pope Leo XIV supports nuclear weapons
The President said, “We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a pope who says crime is OK in our cities. I don’t like it. I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo.”
“Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested."
"Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!” Trump concluded.
The remarks came after Leo criticized Trump’s threats to “wipe out” the Iranian civilization, warning that “attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law.”
The Pope also urged people to contact leaders and members of Congress to call for peace, pressing Trump to end the war in Iran.
Fact Check: Pope Leo XIV has spoken against nuclear weapons
Trump's claims are false, as the Pope has specifically spoken against nuclear weapons and their devastation.
In a March 5 video message, Leo said, "Today we lift up our prayer for peace in the world, asking that nations renounce weapons and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy. …"
"Lord, enlighten the leaders of the nations, so they may have the courage to abandon projects of death, halt the arms race, and place the lives of the most vulnerable at the center. May the nuclear threat never again dictate the future of humanity."
On March 8, Leo’s X account posted about the Iran war’s expansion, encouraging people to pray "for the roar of bombs to cease, weapons to fall silent, and space to open for dialogue, in which people's voices may be heard."
In June 2025, the pope called for a world free from nuclear threat and appealed for peace between Iran and Israel.
Also in June 2025, during a general audience in St. Peter's Square, Leo said, "We must never get used to war! Indeed, the temptation to have recourse to powerful and sophisticated weapons needs to be rejected."
