Pope Leo moved to ease tensions with US President Donald Trump by downplaying reports of a growing feud, saying recent interpretations of his remarks during the Africa tour were not fully accurate. Speaking to reporters aboard the papal flight to Angola, the pontiff stressed that he had no interest in engaging in a public debate with the American president.
The pope explained that comments he made earlier in Cameroon about the world being “ravaged by a handful of tyrants” were not directed at Trump. According to Leo, the speech had been prepared two weeks earlier, well before the US president publicly criticised him and his message promoting global peace.
Read more : Pope Leo stands firm on peace message
Tensions appeared to rise after Donald Trump criticised the pope on social media, describing him as weak on crime and ineffective on foreign policy. The criticism followed Pope Leo’s recent statements condemning the US-Israeli war against Iran and warning about leaders who invest heavily in warfare instead of peace.
Meanwhile, Trump also shared an AI-generated image portraying himself as a Jesus-like figure, a post that quickly drew criticism from religious leaders and commentators. The controversial image was later removed, but it fueled wider debate about the growing political tension surrounding the conflict.
Read more : Pope Leo warns of rising violence at sacred sites
Despite the criticism, Pope Leo maintained that his goal is to speak about peace, justice, and global inequality rather than engage in political disputes. He reaffirmed that raising concerns about war and humanitarian suffering remains a moral responsibility for religious leadership.
The pontiff made the remarks while continuing an extensive 10-day Africa tour that includes visits to 11 cities across four countries. The journey involves nearly 18,000 kilometres of travel and 18 flights, making it one of the most complex international tours ever undertaken by a pope.