Donald J Trump has published a lengthy social media post criticising Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”.

The unusual attack on the head of the Catholic Church follows Pope Leo’s remarks urging an end to the war on Iran and saying that a “delusion of omnipotence” was driving the conflict. While he did not mention Trump by name, the remarks appeared directed at the US president and other officials who have boasted of US military strength and justified the war in religious terms.

“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“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,” he added.

Trump also claimed credit for Pope Leo’s election, suggesting the church chose the first US-born pontiff – elected last year – to curry favour with the White House. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump said.

Per Al-Jazeera

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