Navigate Select ESC Close

Why has US President Donald Trump fallen out with the Pope? | The Global Story

2026-04-16 News & Politics
87.2k
1.7k
510
BBC News
BBC News
19.8m subscribers

Unlock all features

FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.

Description

Pope Leo XIV has said he has “no fear of the Trump administration”, after his criticism of the Iran war drew scorn from President Donald Trump. On Sunday, the US President called the Pope “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy”, and posted a now-deleted AI image of himself depicted as a Christ-like figure.The posts caused outrage among Catholics and the religious right, but he has said he will not apologise to the Pope. We speak to BBC presenter and author Edward Stourton, who has reported on religious affairs and US politics for decades, about what happens when an American president takes on an American Pope. Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news #BBCNews #donaldtrump #pope 00:00 Introduction 01:11 Feud timeline so far 06:28 Confrontation between 08:02 Pope Leo, the diplomat 10:01 American Catholicism 12:36 The 'eternal' viewpoint of the church 13:42 Pope John Paul II comparisons 14:40 Religious rhetoric around the war in Iran 16:48 American evangelisms relationship with the Pope 17:47 Donald Trump's use of Christian imagery 19:50 Who is really the most powerful American in the world?

Top Comments (10)

@andredumas9547 2026-04-16

The president of the United States has insulted almost every one except Putin and Bibi.

143 23 replies
@patmcclain3306 2026-04-16

Pope Leo is always speaking out about the Gospel. Everything he says is to proclaim the Gospel. If his message offends someone that is on them, not the Pope.

62 5 replies
@a.tehrani-k7r 2026-04-16

Trump fought everyone, even the Pope... except Bibi!

53 5 replies
@garykkleow 2026-04-16

Wat an idiot. I did not hear the pope say that crime is ok. Did not hear that its ok for iran to have a nuke.

46 3 replies
@derekzimmer6335 2026-04-16

The Pope’s voice loudly reverberates with Christians throughout the world not because people believe in the totality of Catholicism doctrine but because he represents the only Christian leader in the world who will speak Christian truths to the powerful. In its simplest terms that is why the Pope is so widely applauded!

35 7 replies
@TheJkdZone 2026-04-16

Both trump and vance should be excommunicated...😂

22 9 replies
@donalobrien7582 2026-04-16

DON'T THINK, the Pope or the Catholic Church will lose much Sleep not been in Favour with Trump. Odds are against Him been around much Longer.

16 1 replies
@RSJSunbury 2026-04-16

The Pope has a right to his opinion. So if he chooses to voice that in the media, what is the difference to what Trump does? Trouble is what the Pope has said is not what the playground bully wants to hear. Freedom of speech is meant to be a fundamental right of living in a democracy, is it not?

13 1 replies
@williamgantt7661 2026-04-16

I side with the guy who wears the white hat.

12
@GunaSekaran-r6h 2026-04-16

THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS TO SOLVE WORLDLY PROBLEMS OTHER THAN WARS AND TERRORIST ACTS IN THIS UNPREDICTABLE,UNCONTROLLABLE AND UNKNOWN UNIVERSAL REALITIES.

5

Unlock the Data Inside
Turn Videos into Knowledge

  • Get FREE 10/day: transcripts, summaries, chats
  • Chat with videos, export text & PDF
  • $1 free API credit for RAG, chatbots & research

Free forever plan • All features unlocked

App screenshot