Recently, Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump, the world’s most powerful man, had a dispute about politics and leadership. The Pope criticised leaders who waste billions on war, saying that the world is “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants”. His strong remarks were made during his visit to Cameroon in West Africa; he also condemned those who misuse “the very name of God” for their own gain. Trump may have felt targeted, although the Pope did not name anyone directly. Trump responded that the Pope should not talk about political issues but focus on theology.

Pope Leo, like his predecessors, has often spoken about political issues, taking the side of the oppressed. He has also been a strong critic of warfare in general, particularly condemning the combat operations launched by the USA and Israel on Iran on February 28 this year. He labelled Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s “whole civilisation” as “truly unacceptable”. Pope Leo stressed: “I will speak out against war and promote peace, dialogue, and multilateral solutions to conflicts.”

The dispute between Pope Leo and President Trump was certainly unusual, since the Pope is rarely attacked by leaders for his statements. Trump, however, is accustomed to harsh words and disputes. Some suggested that the Pope might even be grateful for Trump’s response, since his words rarely receive sustained media attention or become breaking news, as happened this time. This moment may encourage wider audiences to listen more carefully to the........

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