The American-born pope was speaking after Trump said the pontiff’s stance on the Iran war was “endangering Catholics and a lot of people.”
Read more: Catholic Leaders in U.S. Condemn Trump for Attack on Pope Leo
“If someone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let him do so truthfully,” he said.
The Pope again emphasized the importance of dialogue over further escalation in conflict.
Leo has been a vocal critic of Trump’s war with Iran, repeatedly calling for an approach centered on diplomacy and dialogue.
Steve Millies, a professor of Public Theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, tells TIME that Leo’s criticism—as the first American-born Pope—carries particular weight.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to meet with the Holy See, the government of the Catholic Church, on May 7 at the Vatican to discuss a range of issues, including the conflict in the Middle East.
“No, I mean, it’s a trip we had planned from before,” Rubio said during a White House press conference.
“What the President basically said is that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon because they would use it against places that have a lot of Catholics, and Christians, and others,” Rubio said.
“As a general matter, a new Administration always wants to make sure that this relationship is intact,” he explains. “The Holy See doesn't have a lot of physical power, it can't wage a war, it doesn't command an enormous amount of money, but the Church is everywhere, and diplomatically, the Holy See is very important even for a power like the United States.”
U.S. President Donald Trump and an AI-generated picture he posted on his Truth Social platform, seemingly depicting himself as Jesus Christ. —Mandel Ngan—Getty Images
A poll conducted at the end of April found that 87% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s post, while 66% responded positively to Leo’s calls for a peaceful resolution.
“I do think there are Catholics for whom that's going to work, but for most Catholics, having the President of the United States attack the Pope over and over in this pointed way, pushes a button. It excites a reaction, and the reaction is not one that's going to play well for President Trump or for the Republican Party,” he says.
Millies also emphasizes that the visit presents a political opportunity for Rubio, who is widely viewed as a potential Republican Presidential contender in 2028.
“Rubio's performance on this trip is something to watch closely, not only as the role of Secretary of State in trying to turn the temperature down and making it a little easier for Catholics to line up with the Republican Party," he says. "But also important, from Rubio's point of view, to note the contrast with how JD Vance pedantically lectured the Pope about theology.”
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