Pope Leo XIV clarifies ‘tyrants’ remark, says no interest in debating Trump
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Pope Leo XIV speaks as he attends a meeting with the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps at the Protocollar Pavillion of the Presidency in Luanda on the sixth day of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa, on April 18, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
The clarification comes after Trump publicly criticised the Pope on April 12, saying he was “not a big fan of Pope Leo” and accusing him of being soft on issues related to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Pope Leo XIV on Saturday (April 18) said he regretted that his recent remarks were interpreted as a response to criticism from Donald Trump, stressing that he has no interest in engaging in a public debate with the US President.
Speaking to journalists while travelling during his Africa tour, Leo said a speech he delivered in Cameroon, referring to “tyrants” ransacking the world, had been misread. The address, delivered on Thursday in Bamenda, had drawn attention amid ongoing tensions and was widely interpreted, particularly in US media, as an indirect reference to Trump.
Clarifying his stand, the Pope said the remarks had been prepared well before Trump’s recent criticism of him.
“The remarks were written before his comment on me and on the message of peace that I am promoting,” Leo said, adding that it was unfortunate the speech was perceived as an attempt to provoke a debate. “It was interpreted as if I were trying to start a new debate with the president, which doesn’t interest me at all,” he said.
Leo also pointed to what he described as a distorted narrative around his comments, saying “Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said,” he noted, adding that “there’s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects”.
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The original remarks were made during a high-security visit to Bamenda, a region affected by a long-running English-speaking separatist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives. In that context, Leo had criticised global leaders he described as “tyrants”.
The clarification comes after Trump publicly criticised the Pope on April 12, saying he was “not a big fan of Pope Leo” and accusing him of being soft on issues related to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Trump later reiterated his stance on social media, stating, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” and calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.”
