After weeks of increasing tension between the Pope Leo 14 and donald trumpcriticism from one to the other left the field of indirectness and became a distant argument.
After being called, on Sunday night (12), “terrible” and “weak” by the president of United Statesthe pontiff responded this Monday morning (13). “I am not afraid of the Trump administration. I will continue to speak out loud about the message of the Gospel,” he said.
This is the most explicit confrontation between the two since Robert Prevost was elected pope in May last yearthe first American in history to lead the Catholic Church.
Leo 14’s statement was given to journalists during the flight from Rome to Algiers, the capital of Algeria, first leg of your ten-day trip across the African continent.
“I’m not a politician, I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” he said in reference to Trump. “I do not think that the message of the Gospel should be abused as some are doing. I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, dialogue and multilateralism between states to find solutions,” said the pope.
“A lot of people are suffering today, a lot of innocent people have been killed and I think someone should stand up and say that there is a better way,” said Leão 14.
Hours earlier, Trump had published a long message on his social network in which he called the Pope “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy.” “I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s terrible for the U.S. to attack Venezuela.”
The president also said that Leo 14 should be grateful because, according to him, he was chosen as pope only because he was born in the USA. “They (the Church) thought it would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”
The attack is considered unprecedented in the recent past. Despite Francisco’s criticism of Trump’s first administration’s immigration policyespecially the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico, and by John Paul 2the to George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraqnever had a pope been the target of such harsh words from an American president.
Later, Trump launched another provocation, publishing an image generated by artificial intelligence in which he appears dressed as if he were Jesus, with his hand resting on the forehead of an apparently sick man and with the US flag in the background. Hours later, the publication was deleted from his social networks. Still, the president said he would not apologize to the pontiff.
The offenses against Leo 14 come after weeks of appeals from the pope for an end to the conflict in Iran promoted by the US and Israel. On Saturday, the pontiff led a vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica, in which he condemned the use of religious language to justify war. “The illusion of omnipotence that surrounds us is becoming increasingly unpredictable,” he said.
The day before, he had stated that “God does not bless any conflict” and that “Christ’s disciples never ally themselves with those who yesterday wielded the sword and today throw bombs”.
Also last week, Prevost had suggested that citizens, without naming which country, put pressure on “congressmen” and “authorities”, communicating to them that they wanted peace.
In recent days, it was also revealed that, in a meeting held at the Pentagon in January, the Vatican had been pressured, through its ambassador in the country, to align itself with US military policies. According to the website The Free Press, a reference was made to the Avignon papacy, where, in the 14th century, the king of France had an “antipope” in opposition to Rome. The Pentagon said it was just a “respectful” discussion.
In Italy, Trump’s attacks on the Pope were followed by notes of support released by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Officially, the messages were due to the trip to the African continent.
“On behalf of myself and the Italian government, I wish to convey to Pope Leo 14 my gratitude and best wishes for the success of his trip. May the Holy Father’s ministry favor the resolution of conflicts and the return of peace, internally and between nations”, wrote Meloni on Instagram, with a photo of himself with the pope.
Hours later, she wrote in a statement that Trump’s statements about the pontiff were unacceptable. “The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and condemn all forms of war.”
Meloni, who presented herself as an ally as soon as Trump returned to the White House and a possible intermediary between the US and the European Union, has been less explicit in her support for the American president in recent weeks.
The Italian Episcopal Conference, equivalent to the Brazilian CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil), condemned Trump’s words. “We remember that the pope is not a political adversary, but the successor of Peter,” he said in a statement. “In a time marked by international conflicts and tensions, his voice represents a demanding call for human dignity, dialogue and responsibility.”
