Pope Leo XIV has raged against “violence” and people being “defrauded” by the rich amid his ongoing feud with Donald Trump.
Posting on X during his visit in Africa, the Pope said: “We witness today how the hope of many people is frustrated by violence, exploited by the powerful and defrauded by the rich. When injustice corrupts hearts, the bread of all becomes the possession of a few.
“In the face of these evils, Christ hears the cry of the people and renews our history by lifting us up from every fall. He comforts us in every suffering and encourages us in our mission.”
Last week the Pope also hit out at “tyrants” who spend billions on wars – just days after Donald Trump lashed out at him in a series of extraordinary attacks. The leader of the Catholic Church also voiced his criticism of the “masters of the war” while on a visit to Cameroon.
In his message, the US-born Pope urged a “decisive change of course” and said: “The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild. 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.”
When he was asked if he was going to meet the Pope to “even out” differences, Mr Trump replied, saying, “I don’t think it’s necessary”.
This comment came after a series of messages published on Truth Social in which he criticised the Pope saying he was “weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy”. Mr Trump’s full message read: “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 that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country.
“And I don’t want a Pope who criticises the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do… 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.”
Pope Leo XIV is currently travelling in Africa. His visit started on April 12 and will last until April 23. The countries included in his visit are Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.