Trump Criticizes Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Dolan Responds
In a sequence of events that has stirred significant attention, former President Donald Trump launched a vehement critique on social media against Pope Leo XIV, describing him as “WEAK on crime and terrible for foreign policy.” This criticism was swiftly addressed by Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix, who emphasized the power of peace and the spiritual mission of the Church.
Trump’s online outburst included grievances about the impact of COVID-19 on religious services, despite these events occurring before Pope Leo’s rise to the papacy in 2025. Additionally, Trump expressed a preference for Leo’s brother, Louis Prevost, citing Prevost’s political alignment with Trump’s own views.
The former president also took issue with Pope Leo’s stance regarding U.S. actions involving Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and potential military action against Iran. Trump claimed, “Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise… If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
In a controversial move, Trump shared a digitally altered image portraying himself as a Christ-like figure, which he later removed, explaining to reporters that he believed it depicted him as a doctor related to the Red Cross. “Only the fake news could come up with that one. … It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better,” Trump stated.
Despite removing the image, Trump did not retract his comments about the pope and refused to apologize, asserting, “No, I won’t. Pope Leo said things that are wrong, he was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran.”
Bishop John Dolan, who leads a vast diocese with 94 parishes and 24 missions, responded by highlighting the pope’s spiritual role. “The Church does not exist to advance political agendas, but to proclaim the Gospel, to form consciences, and to remind the world of the dignity of every human person,” Dolan stated. He further clarified that the pope’s purpose is not political but spiritual, “to shepherd souls, to call us to holiness, and to point us toward Christ, the Prince of peace.”
Dolan further addressed the concept of war, acknowledging its occasional necessity but rejecting it as a source of salvation. “Peace — not power, not force, not victory in worldly terms — is the gift Christ gives to His people,” he asserted, urging a focus on peace in future endeavors.
For further detail, read Trump’s original posts on Truth Social.
