Pope Leo XIV Urges Truth in Criticism Following Trump's Attacks
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Pope Leo XIV urged critics to "speak with the truth" after new attacks from US President Donald Trump.
- The Pope reiterated the Church's mission to preach the Gospel and peace, stating its long-standing opposition to nuclear weapons.
- He acknowledged the complexity of 'just war' in the nuclear age and emphasized dialogue over conflict.
Vatican City – Pope Leo XIV has responded to recent criticisms from US President Donald Trump, urging that any critiques be grounded in truth. Speaking to journalists after leaving his Castel Gandolfo residence, the pontiff reaffirmed the Catholic Church's core mission: "to preach the Gospel and peace." He specifically addressed the Church's consistent stance against nuclear weapons, stating, "the Church has been against all nuclear weapons for years and there is no doubt about it."
La misión de la Iglesia es predicar el Evangelio y la paz
The friction between the Pope and the Trump administration appears to center on the use of armaments, particularly concerning nuclear proliferation and the concept of 'just war.' While acknowledging that self-defense has traditionally been permitted by the Church, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the profound complexities introduced by the nuclear age. "The whole concept of war must be reevaluated under current terms," he stated, expressing a firm belief that "it is always much better to have dialogue than to enter into nuclear conflict."
Por eso, si alguien desea criticarme por anunciar el Evangelio, que lo haga con la verdad, pues la Iglesia se ha manifestado contra todas las armas nucleares durante años y no cabe duda alguna al respecto
Trump had accused the Pope of endangering Catholics by not being firm enough regarding Iran's nuclear program. Pope Leo XIV, however, pointed to his inaugural message from May 8, 2025, as indicative of his consistent approach, reiterating his call for "peace with you." The upcoming meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Pope is seen by observers as an effort to mend relations strained by Trump's remarks. The Pope expressed his hope for a "good dialogue, with trust and frankness" during this meeting, suggesting that the agenda would likely extend beyond the immediate criticisms.
La legítima defensa ha sido tradicionalmente permitida por la Iglesia. Por tanto, hablar de 'guerra justa' hoy en día es un problema muy complejo que debe analizarse en muchos niveles
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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