Pastor Says Trump Has Better Understanding of Bible Than Pope Leo

A conservative Christian pastor said President Donald Trump has a better understanding of the Bible than Pope Leo. Pastor Robert Jeffress made the statement on Fox News during a discussion about the meeting between the first American pope and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Tensions rose after the pope urged Catholics to pray for a peaceful resolution to the Iran conflict. Trump posted messages on Truth Social calling the pope weak on crime and saying he did not understand the threat from Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Jeffress, who endorsed Trump in 2016, said the president shows stronger alignment with biblical teachings on government protecting citizens. "The Pope is a good man, he's sincere in his faith, but he's sincerely wrong when it comes to Iran," Jeffress told Fox News.

" Jeffress has participated in meetings with faith leaders during Trump's presidency and led prayers in the Oval Office. In mid-April he told the Religion News Service that Trump's criticism of the pope was correct because the pope lacked a biblical understanding of government's role in protection.

Trump sells special editions of the Bible that include the King James version along with the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance. " Last month Trump took part in a Bible-reading marathon and read from 2 Chronicles 7:11–22, a passage often cited by those who say the United States was founded as a Christian nation.

Leo responded to Trump's accusations by saying the church has long opposed all nuclear weapons. "The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, to preach peace," Leo said. "If someone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully.

" Trump also faced criticism for posting an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ, which was later deleted. A separate group of pastors held a dedication ceremony for a gold statue of Trump at his golf course in Miami, Florida. Jeffress declined to comment on the image when asked by the Religion News Service.