US President Donald Trump launched harsh criticism against Vatican Pope Leo XIV on Sunday evening over his stance on the Iran war, calling him 'bad at foreign policy.'

Trump said he does not believe Pope Leo, who was born in the United States, is doing a good job, describing him as 'very liberal' and 'sympathetic to the radical left.'

During his return to Washington from Florida, Trump used a lengthy post on the Truth Social platform to strongly criticize the pope, then continued his attack after deplaning, in remarks to reporters on the tarmac, saying: 'I'm not a fan of Pope Leo,' according to the Associated Press.

Trump's comments came after Pope Leo indicated over the weekend that 'the illusion of absolute power' is what fuels the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Trump told reporters: 'We don't want a pope who says it's acceptable to have a nuclear weapon... He is a man who doesn't think we should be tough with a country that wants a nuclear weapon to destroy the world,' referring to Iran, adding: 'I'm not a fan of Pope Leo,' according to CNN.

Pope Leo is among the most prominent voices criticizing the US-Israel-Iran war, as he condemned in recent days Trump's statements and threats against the 'Iranian people,' calling them 'completely unacceptable.'

Trump wrote in his post on Truth Social: 'Pope Leo is weak on crime and bad at foreign policy,' adding that he doesn't want a pope who thinks it's acceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon or who believes 'the US attack on Venezuela is a bad thing.'

Trump also wrote on his platform: 'I don't want a pope who criticizes the President of the United States.' He also claimed that Pope Leo 'was not among the candidates for the papacy, and was chosen only because he is American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald Trump.'

Pope's criticism

The pope described Trump's threat this month to destroy Iranian civilization as 'unacceptable.' He also called for 'deep reflection' on how immigrants are treated in the United States under the Trump administration.

On Saturday, the pope led an evening prayer in St. Peter's Basilica, on the same day the United States and Iran began direct negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile truce.

The pope did not mention the United States or Trump by name, but his tone and message seemed directed at them, amid US statements about military superiority and justification of war with religious rhetoric, according to the Associated Press.

The pope, who begins a visit to Algeria on Monday, previously stated that God 'does not answer the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.' He also cited a text from the Old Testament: 'When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; your hands are full of blood.'

During the 2024 election, Trump received 55% of the vote among American Catholics, according to an Associated Press poll. However, his administration maintains close ties with conservative evangelical Protestant leaders, who have claimed there is 'religious support' for the war on Iran.