world
Hegseth Affirms U.S. Authority in Iran Conflict; Pope Leo XIV Critiques It
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded to Pope Leo XIV's criticisms of the war in Iran, stating the military has every necessary authority. The pope highlighted civilian suffering and called for peace during a flight back from Africa. Tensions between the Pentagon and Vatican have escalated since January 2026.
FO
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded to Pope Leo XIV’s criticisms of the war in Iran on Friday morning, April 24, 2026, telling reporters the pope is 'going to do his thing' and that the United States military has 'every authority necessary' to fight.
Hegseth addressed the pope's criticisms during a news conference on Friday, April 24, 2026, saying the pope is 'going to do his thing' and 'that’s fine' after a reporter asked about Leo’s critiques of the war in Iran.
He added, 'We know what our mission is. We know what authority we have. We're very clear about that,' emphasizing that the military follows the orders of President Donald Trump and has 'every authority necessary under the Constitution and under our laws' to pursue the war in Iran.
A conference of Catholic bishops suggested the war in Iran violates the Church’s just war theory. Pope Leo XIV offered critiques of the war on Thursday, April 23, 2026, telling reporters on his flight back to the Vatican from a pastoral visit to Africa that 'many innocent people have died' in the war in Iran.
' He also said the war in Iran has created a 'chaotic, critical situation for the global economy' and that there is an entire population in Iran of innocent people suffering because of the war.
'As a Church—I repeat—as a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war,' Pope Leo XIV said. Pope Leo XIV rebuked leaders for using religion as a justification for the war in Iran. Pete Hegseth has used religion as a justification for the war in Iran, according to Forbes.
