Pope Leo XIV has denounced “a handful of tyrants” who he says are ravaging the world, just days after he criticised Donald Trump over the war in the Middle East.
Pope Leo XIV delivered the comments in northwestern Cameroon, his latest stop on a four-nation African tour. During the tour, he has spoken out about the need for world peace.
“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth,” Leo told a gathering.
“They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.
“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.”
It comes just days after Trump posted on Truth Social in the middle of the night, calling the Pope “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy”. Trump also posted and then deleted an AI image of himself as Jesus.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said: “I’m not OK with Pope Leo, he’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime.”
This was a response to the Pope’s urging of politicians to “work for peace and to reject war always.”
When asked about Trump’s attack on him, Pope Leo XIV said :“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out about the message of the Gospel. We are not politicians. I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.”
On Tuesday, US Vice President JD Vance also questioned the Pope’s call for world peace.
“When the Pope says that God is never on the side of people who wield the sword, there is more than a 1,000-year tradition of just war theory,” Vance said at a Turning Point USA event.
Pope Leo XIV is the first American-born pope and was elected in May 2025.