'Tyrants.' Pope blasts 'those who manipulate religion' as Trump feud escalates

Pope Leo XIV said the world is "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants" and decried world leaders who "manipulate" religion and the name of God for military gain in a speech in Cameroon on April 16, as President Donald Trump has continued sparring with the pontiff.

"Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth," Leo said during his four-country tour of Africa. "It is a world turned upside down, an exploitation of God’s creation that must be denounced and rejected by every honest conscience."

The pope's remarks come after Trump's attacks on social media, where the president has shared AI-generated images depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure and other religious imagery. Trump called Leo "WEAK on Crime" on April 12 and called him out in another post on April 14 with a defense of his war in Iran.

Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born head of the Catholic Church, has been highly critical of armed conflict, and repeated his stance on April 16: "The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild."

Earlier in the week, Leo said he had "no fear with neither the Trump administration, nor speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel."

Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, have both doubled down on criticism of the pope, prompting backlash from conservative Catholics in the United States.

Internationally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, threw her support behind the pope on April 16, urging Anglicans to follow his lead. Mullally plans to visit Rome later in April to meet with Leo.

"I stand with my brother in Christ, His Holiness Pope XIV, in his courageous call for a kingdom of peace," said Mullally, who in October was named the first woman Archbishop to lead the Church of England.

"As innocent people are killed and displaced, families torn apart, and futures destroyed, the human cost of war is incalculable. It is the calling of every Christian – and of all people of faith and goodwill – to work and pray for peace. We must also urge all those entrusted with political authority to pursue every possible peaceful and just means of resolving conflict."

This story has been updated to add new information.

Contributing: Reuters