In a surprise move, US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing verbal attack on Pope Leo XIV, just days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio's highly anticipated visit to the Vatican. Trump's latest barb accuses the pontiff of recklessly endangering the lives of Catholics by allegedly condoning Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon. The comments are the latest escalation in a heated feud between Trump and the Pope, who has faced intense criticism from the US President over his condemnation of the US-Israeli war on Iran. As tensions between the two world leaders continue to simmer, Rubio's visit to the Vatican is seen as a crucial opportunity to ease the diplomatic fallout and repair strained relations.
US president directs fresh criticism at pontiff days before secretary of state Marco Rubio’s visit to VaticanMiddle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has issued a fresh verbal attack against Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics” because “he thinks it’s fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon”.The remarks come two days before Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, meets Leo at the Vatican in an effort to ease the tensions sparked by Trump’s previous broadside against the Chicago-born pontiff over his condemnation of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Continue reading...
