Pope Leo Hits Back At Trump Criticism, Condemns 'Neo-Colonial' Powers As Africa Tour Begins

(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) Pope Leo XIV declared on Monday that he is“not afraid of the Trump administration” and rebuked“neo-colonial” world powers, responding just hours after United States President Donald Trump launched a direct attack on the leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

In remarks made to NBC News, the pontiff pledged to continue his appeals for peace. The escalating dispute follows the Pope's outspoken criticism in recent weeks of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which he denounced as“war madness” during a peace appeal on Saturday.

Late on Sunday, Trump described Pope Leo as“very bad” in an apparent response to the pontiff's criticism of the conflict and the White House's hardline immigration policies.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US president stated:“Pope Leo is weak on crime, and bad on foreign policy.” Trump added that he does not want a pope who believes it is acceptable for Iran to possess a nuclear weapon, or who views the“American attack on Venezuela is a bad thing.”

Furthermore, Trump wrote:“I don't want a pope who criticises the president of the United States.” He also claimed that Leo“was not among the candidates for the papacy, and was chosen only because he is American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald Trump.”

Speaking earlier aboard the papal plane, Pope Leo, a Chicago native, said he intended to maintain his opposition to the war.

“I don't want to get into an argument with him (Trump)... I think the message of the Gospel should not be misused the way some do,” he said.“I will continue to raise my voice loud against war, seeking to promote peace, dialogue and multilateral relations between countries to search for just solutions to problems.”

The Pope continued:“Many people in the world suffer today... many innocent people are killed. And I think someone must stand up and say there is a better way. The message of the Church, my message, the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the peacemakers. I do not view my role as political and do not consider myself a politician.”

The diplomatic clash overshadowed the beginning of the first American pope's major foreign tour of 2026. Arriving in Algeria on Monday for the first day of a 10-day trip spanning four African nations, Pope Leo urged Algerian leaders to build a society founded on the principles of justice and solidarity.

“Today, this is more urgent than ever in the face of continuing violations of international law and neo-colonial tendencies,” he said in a strongly worded address.

The visit, running from 13 to 23 April, aims to urge world leaders to meet the needs of a continent home to more than a fifth of the world's Catholics. It represents a personal priority for the pontiff and reflects the Catholic Church's growing focus on Africa, according to Vatican officials and regional church leaders.

During the intensive programme, the Pope will travel approximately 18,000 kilometres and take 18 flights to visit 11 cities and towns across Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. Since his election last May, he has made only one other major foreign tour, visiting Turkey and Lebanon in November and December, alongside a trip to Monaco in March.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official and close adviser to the Pope, told Reuters the trip aims to“draw the world's attention towards Africa.”

“By going to Africa at this early stage of his papacy, the pope shows that Africa matters... and Leo wants to make sure that Africa is not forgotten by countries and peoples preoccupied with their own affairs,” Czerny said.

In Muslim-majority Algeria, where there are fewer than 10,000 Catholics out of a population of nearly 48 million, the Pope is expected to encourage Catholic-Muslim dialogue. He will visit the Great Mosque of Algiers – his second visit to a mosque since taking office – and will travel to the north-eastern coastal city of Annaba to visit the ancient ruins of Hippo.

In Cameroon, Leo will hold a“meeting for peace” in Bamenda, the largest city in the country's English-speaking regions, where clashes between government forces and separatist movements have resulted in thousands of deaths since 2017.

The tour will also mark the first papal visit to Equatorial Guinea since 1982. Catholics make up more than 70% of the population there. On the penultimate day of his trip, the Pope will visit the city of Bata to pray at the site of a 2021 series of military barracks explosions that killed more than 100 people.

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