Trump says he has right to disagree as he dials down week-long feud with Pope Leo XIV

WASHINGTON, DC: The series of attacks and counterattacks between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV appears to be halting as Trump thinks disagreement is fine. Dialing down his week-long feud with the pope, Trump said it was ok if two of them had different opinions and approaches towards world problems.

Over the week, Trump and Pope Leo exchanged barbs in statements to the press and on social media about the war with Iran. Trump called Pope ‘weak’ on crimes and nuclear weapons, and the Pontiff replied that he has “no fear” of speaking out.

Trump says he and the pope can disagree

“I’m not fighting with him,” Trump said. “The pope can say what he wants, and I want him to say what he wants, but I can disagree.”

Pope Leo, in a post on April 10, said that a disciple of Christ “is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

On Trump’s “a whole civilisation will die” threat against Iran on Easter Sunday, April 5, Pope Leo registered his objection against it. “There was this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable,” Pope said on Tuesday, April 7.

What is the feud between Trump and Pope Leo XIV

After Pope Leo XIV said that a threat against the entire people of Iran was not acceptable, and a disciple of Christ will never side with those who wield swords or drop bombs, Trump lashed out at the Pope, calling him “weak” and “terrible.”

Making a long post on Truth Social on Sunday, April 12. Pope said, "Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”

"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 ... If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump said.

Later on Tuesday, April 14, Vice President JD Vance also joined the feud, saying that Pope should “be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”

Bishop James Massa clarifies Pope’s remarks

As the matter appeared to be escalating, Bishop James Massa responded with a statement. Massa, who heads the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ doctrine committee, said that the Pope was preaching to the world.

“When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology, he is preaching the Gospel and exercising his ministry as the Vicar of Christ,” the statement read.

When asked about the Bishop’s statement, Trump said, “ I also know that you cannot let a certain country, which is a mean-spirited country, have a nuclear weapon. If they did, they would use it, and I think they would use it quickly and they would kill many millions of people.”