Black Catholics have joined the growing condemnation of recent emanations from the White House regarding Pope Leo XIV, including an unprecedented social media attack by President Donald Trump and a doubling down from both him and the Catholic vice president, JD Vance.
A lengthy Truth Social post on Sunday night saw Trump deride the sitting Bishop of Rome as “weak on crime,” “weak on nuclear weapons,” and “terrible for foreign policy.” The president additionally criticized Leo for his opposition to recent American warfare operations and claimed that the American-born pontiff has been politicizing his office.
In a now-deleted photo posted shortly thereafter, Trump also depicted himself as Jesus miraculously healing a sick person.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 13, 2026
The statements from Trump, which he refused to apologize for on Monday, were defended by Vance, a Catholic who has repeatedly broken ranks with his Church since taking office last year.
“It would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality,” Vance said on Fox News, “to stick to matters of what’s going on in the Catholic Church and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy.”
Trump’s statements have been condemned by a chorus of ecclesial and civic voices around the world, including in a late-night Sunday communique from the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father,” said Archbishop Paul Oakley of Oklahoma City.
“Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”
Leo himself, while traveling from Rome for a trip to Africa, made similar comments when he told reporters that he will not back down from his opposition to war or from his commitment to evangelization.
“I have no fear of neither the Trump administration nor speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel. That’s what I believe I am called to do and what the Church is called to do,” Leo said on the papal plane.
“I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.”
Pope Leo XIV responded to President Trump’s social media post saying:
— Catholic News Service (@CatholicNewsSvc) April 13, 2026
“I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.” pic.twitter.com/9y7ZuhwYy2
On Monday, Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville joined numerous Catholic bishops in condemning Trump’s statements, which come just days after revelations of a tense Pentagon-Vatican meeting in January—reportedly prompted by Pope Leo’s advocacy against the Iran War.
“I stand in solidarity with the Holy Father as he speaks out against war and speaks truth about the gospel with the mission to bring people closer to God,” said Fabre, one of the nation’s two active African-American Catholic bishops.
“As the Vicar of Christ, Pope Leo XIV will continue to advocate for peace, spread the message of hope, and pray for a conversion of hearts. Let us pray for peace in our world, for our military, and for victims of war.”
The Josephites, a Catholic religious community serving African Americans, also released a statement highlighting their solidarity with Leo, calling him an example to follow amid current global turmoil.
“In a world often marked by division and competing ideologies, we are reminded that our first allegiance is not to political frameworks, but to the person of Jesus Christ, whose truth transcends every human system,” the statement reads.
“Guided by the example of Pope Leo XIV, may we continue to be a Church that listens, accompanies, and evangelizes-faithful to Christ and attentive to the needs of the world.”
In comments to reporters on Monday in Washington, President Trump said he doesn’t owe the pope an apology and reiterated the claims in his original social media post.
“Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I'm doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result,” Trump said.
“He went public. I'm just responding to Pope Leo. You know his brother is a big MAGA person and he’s a great guy… I like Louis better than I like the pope… There’s nothing to apologize for.”
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
