Pope Leo said he was not seeking to engage in a debate with Donald Trump when he criticized ‘tyrants’ for spending billions on wars in a speech earlier this week, according to the BBC. The pontiff made the clarification during a press briefing aboard a flight to Angola on Saturday, stating the remarks were written a fortnight earlier – ‘well before the president ever commented on myself.’

Context of the Remarks

The Pope’s comments came days after a high-profile spat with the U.S. president, who had previously criticized the pontiff for his vocal opposition to the U.S.-Israeli military operation in Iran. Trump later labeled the Pope ‘terrible for foreign policy’ in a public statement.

The Pope, who is currently on a tour of Africa, said a ‘certain narrative that has not been accurate’ had developed, citing ‘the political situation created’ by Trump’s comments. He emphasized that the situation was more complex than the media portrayal suggested.

Reaction from U.S. Vice President

In response to the Pope’s remarks, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism as an adult, expressed gratitude for the pontiff’s clarification. ‘I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this,’ Vance said, acknowledging that while real disagreements exist, the reality is often more complex.

Vance had earlier urged the Vatican to ‘stick to matters of morality,’ a statement made before the Pope’s speech referring to ‘tyrants.’ This context adds depth to the discussion around the Pope’s remarks and their interpretation.

Speech in Cameroon

During a speech in Cameroon on Thursday, the Pope criticized leaders who ‘turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.’ He also condemned ‘an endless cycle of destabilisation and death’ in a ‘bloodstained’ region of Cameroon that has been gripped by insurgency for nearly a decade.

The remarks were interpreted by some as a reference to Trump, who later told reporters: ‘The Pope can say what he wants, and I want him to say what he wants, but I can disagree.’ Trump had initially posted his lengthy criticism of the leader of the Catholic Church after the pontiff voiced concern about Trump’s threat that ‘a whole civilisation will die’ if Iran did not agree to U.S. demands to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump called the Pope ‘WEAK on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.’ He also posted an image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, which he later removed. The image drew significant attention and was widely circulated on social media.

The Pope’s Africa tour includes stops in 11 cities across four countries. It is his second major foreign visit since being elected to the papacy last year, and reflects the importance of Catholicism in Africa. More than a fifth of the world’s Catholics – some 288 million people – live in Africa, according to figures from 2024.