Mark Kelly condemns Trump’s ‘abhorrent’ remarks against Pope Leo XIV, links rhetoric to Iran war

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen. Mark Kelly lashed out at President Donald Trump after the latter ridiculed Pope Leo XIV.

Kelly criticized Trump’s remarks about the Pope, calling them “abhorrent” in a post on X. He was responding to a lengthy Truth Social rant Sunday night.

In that post, Trump blasted the pontiff as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” adding, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”

Kelly fired back.

"As a Catholic, I find it abhorrent that the President of the United States would publicly attack the Successor of St. Peter. Donald Trump is flailing," the Arizona Democrat wrote on X. "His war in Iran has led to the death and injury of American servicemembers and the death of Iranian children."

"He will attack anyone or anything to try to protect himself, even the Church that millions of Americans find faith and comfort in every day. The American people deserve a president who understands the consequences of his words and takes responsibility for his actions," Kelly added.

Trump doubles down on his criticism of Pope Leo XIV

Speaking to reporters while returning to Washington from Miami on Sunday night, Trump reiterated his grievances. "I'm not a fan of Pope Leo," he said. "We don't like a pope who says it's OK to have a nuclear weapon."

The President even took it further than the Iran war in his social media post. "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States," Trump wrote, referring to the administration’s ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.

He then questioned the Pope’s legitimacy, suggesting the pontiff only got the job “because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”

"If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican," Trump wrote, before adding, "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!"

Later, Trump told reporters of Pope, "I don't think he's doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess," adding, "He's a very liberal person."

Pope’s peace message looms over feud

All of this unfolded just as Pope Leo XIV appeared to be leaning into a very different message.

The pontiff had presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. He didn’t mention Trump or the U.S. by name, but his tone appeared aimed at leaders invoking religion to justify war. 

The Pope has previously said that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them." He has also cited the Old Testament, saying that "even though you make many prayers, I will not listen — your hands are full of blood."

Pope Leo is scheduled to leave on Monday for an 11-day trip to Africa.