US. President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack against Pope Leo XIV following a recent visit to the Vatican by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. The Pope, a Chicago native, was pictured with Johnson on Thursday, May 28, during the mayor’s visit to Rome. Trump also used his social media post to repeat his displeasure over Pope’s earlier criticism of his position on Iran. His comments come as renewed criticism of the pontiff risks complicating diplomatic outreach efforts, including a recent fence-mending visit made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the Vatican earlier this month.
“Someone should explain to the Pope that the Mayor of Chicago is useless, and that Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump Vs Pope
In a May interview, Trump criticised Pope Leo XIV, claiming the first American-born Pope was “helping Iran” and making the world less safe. He also accused the Pope of downplaying concerns about immigration treatment.
“The pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said in the interview. “And I don’t think that’s very good. I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”
Pope Leo XIV pushed back at that time, rejecting Trump’s interpretation of his remarks and calling it a misrepresentation of his views.
Speaking to reporters, he emphasized the Church’s longstanding position on nuclear disarmament.
The Pope said the Catholic Church “for years has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there.”
He further reiterated that his calls for peace and dialogue amid the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran are rooted in biblical teaching.
“The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,” Leo said.
Chicago Mayor Defends Vatican Visit
Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to Trump’s remarks with a strongly worded post on social media, accusing him of escalating global tensions.
“Chicagoans have had enough of Trump’s blasphemous war in Iran. Someone should explain to the president that his belligerence is only making it harder for working families to make ends meet,” Johnson wrote.
Johnson was in Rome with a delegation of around 50 local officials. His itinerary included his first meeting with the Chicago-born pontiff, a tour of a new metro station, and a meeting with the Mayor of Rome.
Chicagoans have had enough of Trump’s blasphemous war in Iran.
Someone should explain to the president that his belligerence is only making it harder for working families to make ends meet. pic.twitter.com/fFT1mknCG4
— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) May 31, 2026
In a social media post, Johnson said he looked forward “to exploring how we can use our respective authorities to advance justice both in Chicago and around the world.”
Earlier, in an interview with NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern, Johnson expressed enthusiasm about meeting the Pope.
“I am just elated that the pope is from Chicago, right? And so I’m looking forward to this visit at the end of the month,” Johnson said. “And the first thing that I’m going to say to him? I’m going to thank him for his moral clarity, standing up for the most vulnerable, making sure that the people who are the least of these have more than what they need.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
