Pope Says He Has ‘No Fear of Trump Administration,’ Calls for Peace from Africa/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Pope Leo XIV on Monday strongly pushed back against criticism from US President Donald Trump, defending his position of seeking peace and rejecting violence amid the Iran war. Pope Leo began a historic Africa tour starting in Algeria. The pope called for peace and warned against “neocolonial tendencies.” The visit comes amid escalating tensions with President Trump.
Pope Leo Africa Visit Quick Looks
- Pope Leo begins historic Africa tour
- First stop: Algeria
- Calls for peace amid Iran war
- Warns against “neocolonial tendencies”
- Trump criticizes pope before visit
- Honors Algerian independence martyrs
- Promotes Christian-Muslim coexistence
- Tour includes four African nations
Deep Look: Pope Leo XIV Begins Historic Africa Tour Amid Trump Feud, Calls for Peace
ALGIERS, Algeria — Pope Leo XIV began a historic visit to Africa on Monday, calling for global peace and warning against “neocolonial tendencies” in international affairs, as tensions escalated between the Vatican and President Donald Trump over the U.S.-Israeli war involving Iran.
The Chicago-born pontiff arrived in Algeria to launch an 11-day tour of four African countries — Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea — marking his first visit to the continent and highlighting Africa’s growing importance within the Catholic Church.
Pope says he has ‘no fear of Trump administration’ after president slams his Iran war criticism
Pope Leo XIV on Monday strongly pushed back against criticism from US President Donald Trump, defending his position of seeking peace and rejecting violence amid the Iran war.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do,” the pontiff told reporters aboard his plane where he was starting a 10-day trip to the African continent.
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo told The Associated Press aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria. “And I’m sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.”
“We are not politicians, we don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective (as) he might understand it,” he continued. “But I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.”
“I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’” Leo said.
“I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.”
Speaking to other reporters, he added: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for.”
“We are not politicians. We do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective that he may have,” the pope said, adding, ”I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems.
“Too many people are suffering today, too many innocent people have been killed, and I believe someone must stand up and say that there is a better way,” he said.
The comments came after Trump tore into the pope on Sunday evening, denouncing his stance on the Iran war and saying he’s “terrible for foreign policy.”
“We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. … He’s a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world,” Trump told reporters, adding, “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.”
Pope Leo has previously spoken out against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
“The commitment to building a safer world free from the nuclear threat must be pursued through respectful encounters and sincere dialogue to build a lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity and the common good,” he said last June, as Trump was weighing striking Iran’s nuclear sites.
Pope Calls for Peace in Algeria
In his first public remarks in Algiers, Pope Leo linked his message of peace to Algeria’s history of independence from France, which ended in 1962 after a bloody war that killed hundreds of thousands.
“God desires peace for every nation,” Pope Leo told thousands gathered at Algeria’s Martyrs Monument.
“A peace that is not merely an absence of conflict but one that is an expression of justice and dignity.”
Later, meeting Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and government officials, Pope Leo warned about shifting global power dynamics.
“Today, this is more urgent than ever in the face of continuous violations of international law and neocolonial tendencies,” the pope said.
Though he did not name specific conflicts, the Vatican has previously referenced:
- The Iran war
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- Israel’s military operations in Lebanon
Visit Comes Amid Trump Feud
The trip began amid an escalating public dispute with President Donald Trump, who criticized Pope Leo shortly before the visit.
Trump said he did not think Leo was doing “a good job” as pope and urged him to “stop catering to the Radical Left.”
Pope Leo responded while traveling to Algeria, emphasizing that the Vatican’s calls for peace are rooted in religious teachings and that he was not concerned about political criticism.
The exchange highlights growing tensions between the Vatican and the Trump administration over:
- The Iran war
- Immigration policies
- Use of religion in political messaging
Christian-Muslim Coexistence Focus
Pope Leo’s visit also aims to promote interfaith cooperation in Algeria, a majority Muslim country with a small Catholic population of roughly 9,000 people.
Archbishop of Algiers Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco described the coexistence between religions.
“It’s wonderful to be able to show that we can be brothers and sisters together, building a society despite our different religions,” Vesco said.
He added that Muslim visitors make up most visitors to the Our Lady of Africa basilica.
“On any given day, nine out of 10 people visiting are Muslim,” Vesco said.
Religious Freedom Concerns
Despite coexistence efforts, Algeria remains on the U.S. watch list for religious freedom concerns. While Algeria’s constitution allows religious practice, proselytizing Muslims is illegal and some Christian churches have been closed.
Selma Dénane, a student from Annaba, questioned the long-term impact of the papal visit.
“I imagine it’s a good thing that a pope is visiting Algeria,” she said.
“But what will it change afterward? Will Christians be able to say, ‘I am a Christian’ without fear?”
Honoring Algeria’s Martyrs
Pope Leo also paid tribute to 19 Catholic martyrs killed during Algeria’s 1990s civil war, known as the “Black Decade,” when about 250,000 people died.
Among those killed:
- Seven Trappist monks from Tibhirine
- Two Augustinian nuns
- Several priests and religious workers
Sister Lourdes Miguelez, who works in Algeria, praised their sacrifice.
“They gave their lives for God, for Jesus, for the church, for the Algerian people,” she said.
“They didn’t want to leave the country, even in difficult moments.”
The martyrs were beatified in 2018 in the first such ceremony held in the Muslim world.
Personal Significance for Pope Leo
The visit is also deeply personal for Pope Leo, whose Augustinian religious order draws inspiration from St. Augustine of Hippo, one of Christianity’s most influential thinkers who was born in present-day Algeria.
Leo has frequently described himself as a “son of St. Augustine” and often references his teachings.
Paul Camacho of the Augustinian Institute at Villanova University emphasized Augustine’s influence.
“The shadow that he casts on Western thought… is very, very long indeed,” Camacho said.
Next Stops on Africa Tour
- Annaba, Algeria (St. Augustine’s birthplace)
- Cameroon
- Angola
- Equatorial Guinea
The tour underscores Africa’s growing importance to the Catholic Church as the region experiences rapid growth in Catholic populations.
Pope Leo’s visit, combining diplomacy, faith, and personal reflection, comes at a pivotal time as global tensions rise and the Vatican pushes for peace across multiple conflicts.
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