Trump criticizes Pope Leo XIV as 'very liberal' over US military stance
US President Donald Trump said on April 12 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, that he was 'not a big fan' of Pope Leo XIV, characterizing the pontiff as 'a very liberal person.' The criticism follows recent papal statements that appear to critique US military actions abroad. The exchange reflects ongoing tension between the Trump administration and the Vatican over foreign policy and military intervention.
Verified
- ✓Trump made critical comments about Pope Leo XIV on April 12, 2026. (Source: TRT World YouTube; corroborated by 100 US MSM articles)
- ✓Trump described the Pope as 'very liberal.' (Source: TRT World YouTube; corroborated by 100 US MSM articles)
- ✓The comments were made at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. (Source: TRT World YouTube; corroborated by 100 US MSM articles)
- ✓The Pope has made recent statements critical of US military action abroad. (Source: TRT World YouTube; corroborated by 100 US MSM articles)
Interpretation
- ~The criticism reflects tension between the Trump administration and the Vatican over foreign policy. (Source: TRT World framing)
▸▾Why this is here
- Source type
- Public Broadcaster (Tier 3)
- Content type
- Reported
- Confidence
- Corroborated
- Coverage
- 3 of 14 major US outlets
- Published
- April 13, 2026 at 6:53 AM PDT
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