Donald Trump’s threats against Iran have pushed a long-brewing clash with the Vatican into the open, drawing one of the strongest rebukes yet from Pope Leo XIV, who has emerged as an unusually direct critic of the US president’s war rhetoric, moral framing, and use of religious language.
Trump’s Threat to Eradicate Iran
The rift became unmistakable after Trump issued a sweeping threat to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, warning on April 7 that “tonight an entire civilization will die, never to return.” The remark was apocalyptic even by his standards, and the Vatican responded with unusual speed.
Pope Leo answered first in Italian and then in English, calling the threat “unacceptable.” He said targeting an entire people crossed both moral and legal lines, describing the war as “unjust” and stressing that attacks on civilian infrastructure violate international law. For a pope known for restraint, his comments were
...
Loading comments...