ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Leo XIV has said he has no intention of engaging in a public debate with U.S. President Donald Trump over the ongoing Iran war, stressing instead that he will continue to focus on his pastoral mission of preaching peace.
Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane en route from Cameroon to Angola on Saturday, the pope addressed the escalating exchange of criticisms between the White House and the Vatican that has dominated international headlines in recent days. He said the controversy has been driven largely by commentary and misinterpretation rather than his actual message.
“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,” he said.
“Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said.”
Trump had criticized the pope on his social media platform Truth Social on April 12, following Leo’s remarks on peace during the Iran conflict, which began after joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28 and escalated with Iran’s retaliation. The U.S. president accused Leo of being soft on crime, sympathetic to the political left, and suggested that his election as the first American pope was influenced by Trump himself.
Leo, however, has consistently called for peace and dialogue, while rejecting any use of religious justification for war. He previously described Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization as “truly unacceptable.”
The Vatican has clarified that the pope’s appeals for peace are not directed at any single conflict, but reflect a broader concern over global wars. It cited examples such as the Russian Orthodox Church’s justification of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine as a “holy war” in highlighting the wider context of religious narratives being used in geopolitical conflicts.
During the in-flight press briefing, Leo also referred to his recent address at a peace gathering in Bamenda, Cameroon, a region affected by a separatist conflict in the country’s western Anglophone area that has lasted nearly a decade. In that speech, he condemned what he described as “a handful of tyrants” responsible for war and exploitation worldwide.
He noted that the remarks were prepared two weeks earlier, well before the latest political controversy began.
“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,” he said.
Despite the controversy, the pope reiterated that his focus remains pastoral as he continues his 11-day African tour.
“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,” he said.
He also pointed to upcoming liturgical reflections on Christian discipleship, fraternity, and justice, saying the Church must continue promoting peace and solidarity in a world marked by conflict.
Later on Saturday, Leo arrived in Angola, the third stop of his tour. The southern African nation is still healing from a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002 but left lasting social and economic scars.
During his visit, the pope is scheduled to meet President João Lourenço and deliver his first address to government officials, with a message centered on peace, encouragement, and hope for a nation still recovering from decades of conflict.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
