Pope Leo XIV Reaffirms Peace Efforts

U.S. President Donald Trump, reaffirming his mission to preach peace while accepting public scrutiny. The pope, speaking about his role in spreading the Christian message, stated that people are free to criticize him.

This came after Trump, in a Monday interview, accused the pontiff of prioritizing discussions on Iran's potential nuclear weapons over safety concerns. He added, 'If someone wants to criticize me for preaching the Gospel ... The pope has previously criticized Trump's specific threats of mass civilian strikes.

Trump, during an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt on Monday, said the pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. He continued, 'And I don’t think that’s very good. The exchange highlights ongoing tensions between the two figures.

U.S. pope, emphasized his hope to spread the Christian message through discussions of peace. His statements followed Trump's broadside, which rehashed prior gripes including the pope's views on immigration and the Iran war.

The pope has maintained that his comments reflect biblical teachings, not political rivalry. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to visit the Vatican this week. The State Department announced on Monday that Rubio would travel to Rome and Vatican City on Thursday and Friday.

Rubio is set to meet Pope Leo XIV on Thursday. Rubio, a practicing Catholic, will have visited Italy or the Vatican at least three times in the past year after this trip. The visit comes days after Trump's renewed criticism, potentially complicating diplomatic efforts.