KUALA LUMPUR – US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV, calling the pontiff “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”.
Trump’s vilification of the leader of the Catholic Church, which has 1.4 billion followers worldwide and about 1.3 million in Malaysia, comes after the pontiff’s recent Easter message where he criticised global leaders who prefer war and violence over peace.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump criticised the Pope’s stance on global issues, security and international conflicts.
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” the president said, adding that he does not want “a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”
Trump defended his administration’s actions abroad, including the military invasion of Venezuela, saying he opposed any criticism of decisions made to protect the United States.
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela,” he said, claiming the country had been sending “massive amounts of drugs into the United States.”
Trump took further took issue with the Pope’s criticism of his leadership, stating that he was fluffing what he was elected for, while pointing to low crime rates and a strong stock market.
“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.
Pope Leo had urged global leaders to abandon war and pursue peace through dialogue, warning against a growing sense of unchecked power and aggression.
The Guardian reported his remarks as a criticism of the misuse of religion to justify violence and called for an end to prioritising power, money, and self-interest over human life, stressing that true strength lies in protecting and serving life.
Catholics in Malaysia form part of the 2.94 million Christians in the country, which is about 9.1% of the total population. – April 13, 2026