Former U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a sharp attack on Pope Leo XIV, describing him as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” following the pontiff’s recent criticism of the war in Iran.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday night, Trump escalated tensions with the Vatican, accusing the first American-born pope of taking a political stance against his administration’s foreign policy decisions.

According to Trump, Pope Leo “should stop catering to the Radical Left” and “focus on being a great Pope, not a politician,” while also claiming without evidence that the pontiff’s election was influenced by his American identity.

Trump also suggested that the Pope would not have been elected if he were not in office, further deepening his criticism of the Vatican leadership.

The remarks come after Pope Leo publicly condemned escalating military actions in Iran, describing threats of widespread destruction as “truly unacceptable” and calling for urgent diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

During a recent prayer vigil, the Pope urged world leaders to reject war and pursue dialogue, warning against what he described as the “idolatry of power and force.”

Trump, however, defended his administration’s stance on Iran and immigration, insisting that the Pope was ignoring security concerns and “misrepresenting” U.S. foreign policy priorities.

The exchange marks an unusually public rift between a sitting U.S. political figure and the head of the Catholic Church, with the Vatican yet to issue an official response.