Pope Leo says ‘not in my interest at all’ to debate Trump after president’s Truth Social meltdown at pontiff over Iran remarks | EUROtoday

Pope Leo has stated it was “not in my interest at all” to get right into a debate with President Donald Trump in regards to the United States warfare with Iran, and he would proceed to evangelise the gospel.

“There’s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself,” Leo advised The Associated Press Saturday as he traveled to Angola throughout his 11-day African tour.

“Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said.”

Leo was addressing this previous week’s Truth Social messages from Trump the place he attacked the American-born pope as “WEAK”, accused him of “catering to the Radical Left” on crime and falsely claimed the Catholic leader wants a nuclear-armed Iran.

“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” Trump said.

Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization “truly unacceptable” and stated he’s not afraid of the Trump administration.

The pontiff additionally pushed again towards Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after he referred to as on Americans to wish for U.S. victory in Iran “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

On Thursday in Cameroon, the Pope commented that the individuals of the world are struggling underneath a scourge of “tyrants” and warmongers.

His feedback have been broadly interpreted to be a criticism of Trump and the U.S. warfare in Iran however Leo stated he had written these phrases two weeks in the past, earlier than Trump started criticizing him.

“And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all,” Leo advised reporters Saturday. “I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church, to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa.”

Amid his assaults on Leo this week, Trump induced additional outrage amongst Christians by posting an AI-generated picture of himself as Jesus therapeutic a sick man on Truth Social. The president later deleted the picture and claimed he thought it was a picture of himself as a health care provider.

“I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support,” Trump advised reporters. “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better.”

Trump officers leapt to the president’s protection following the furor together with Vice President JD Vance who transformed to Catholicism in 2019. Vance stated Tuesday that Leo ought to “stick to matters of morality” and keep out of politics.

The Independent has requested remark from the White House.