Pope Leo hits back at Trump's lambasting, extending feud over Iran war with first American pontiff

VATICAN: Pope Leo XIV pushed back Monday against President Donald Trump's broadside against him over the US-Israel war in Iran, saying the Vatican's appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he didn't fear the Trump administration.

“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo told The Associated Press aboard the papal plane. “And I'm sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.”

History's first US-born pope stressed that he was not making a direct attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fuelling the Iran wars and other conflicts around the world.