Bishop Robert Barron has said that President Donald Trump owes Pope Leo XIV an apology, following remarks he made on Truth Social on Sunday evening, where he called the first American pope "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy." “The statements made by President Trump on Truth Social regarding the Pope were entirely inappropriate and disrespectful,” he wrote, adding, “I think the President owes the Pope an apology.” In response to a request for comment, the White House referred to Newsweek to Trump’s Truth Social Post. Why It Matters Trump's post marked a significant and personal escalation in an unprecedented feud between two of the world's most popular figures. Never before has a sitting U.S. president been in open conflict with an American pope. Trump’s post came after Pope Leo denounced the "delusion of omnipotence" fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. He demanded that political leaders stop fighting and negotiate peace, and though he did not directly name Trump or the U.S., his message has been widely interpreted as being directed at the administration. What To Know Barron, the Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, wrote in a post on X, “It is the Pope’s prerogative to articulate Catholic doctrine and the principles that govern the moral life. In regard to the concrete application of those principles, people of good will can and do disagree.” He added that Catholics in the administration should meet with Vatican officials so that a real dialogue can take place. Barron said in his post that he is grateful for “the many ways that the Trump administration has reached out to Catholics and other people of faith,” and that “No President in my lifetime has shown a greater dedication to defending our first liberty.” He noted that despite that, “I think the President owes the Pope an apology.” His remarks come amidst wide criticism of the president’s remarks. The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, has condemned Trump’s remarks and said in a statement that he is “disheartened that the president chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father.” A petition calling for Trump to apologize has been signed by thousands of people since launching on Sunday night. Pope Leo has hit back following Trump’s criticism, and said that he has “no fear” of the Trump administration. In comments to The Associated Press aboard the papal plane, the Pope said: “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.” “I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today,” he said. What People Are Saying Pope Leo said on Saturday: "Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life." President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn't on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican… Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It's hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it's hurting the Catholic Church!” Bishop Robert Barron, said in a post on X: “I would warmly recommend that serious Catholics within the Trump administration–Secretary Rubio, Vice President Vance, Ambassador Brian Burch, and others–might meet with Vatican officials so that a real dialogue can take place. This is far preferable to the statements on social media.” What Happens Next As tensions between Pope Leo and the White House continue to escalate, recent surveys show the feud is impacting Trump’s support among Catholics.
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International mediators have proposed a 10-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran, according to a senior Iranian official cited in reports. The measure is described as intended to reduce hostilities and allow renewed talks on a prior interim agreement.
Both sides are assessing next steps in the current regional security situation.
Reports indicate that a US-Iran ceasefire has broken down amid renewed fighting, with the potential impact of mediation efforts by Pakistan, Qatar, and Oman remaining unclear. Earlier diplomatic steps included a June memorandum of understanding between the parties for further negotiations and talks hosted in Geneva in February.
The summary also references Europe’s historical role in diplomacy, including the 1814-15 Congress of Vienna.
Donald Trump stated in a Fox News interview that his representatives had spoken with Iranian officials an hour earlier and that those officials wanted to make a deal to end the conflict, though he noted they had broken prior agreements and expressed uncertainty about whether one would be reached.
He added that people do not want to die and that Iran would need to proceed carefully to avoid further losses. The remarks come amid an ongoing US-Iran conflict that has involved casualties and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, with some social media users criticizing the repetition of similar statements.
Why the Iran-US ceasefire is falling apart Iran and the US have resumed fighting because they don’t see each other as ‘reliable negotiating partners’, says analyst Ali Vaez. Neither Iran nor the United States seems able to deliver a “knockout blow at an acceptable price” to the other side, and both know “they have no choice other than engaging in diplomacy”, but they’re not ready to make uncomfortable concessions, argues Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at International Crisis Group.
Vaez tells host Steve Clemons that Tehran and Washington are trying to “enforce their own interpretation” of the ceasefire agreement they signed last month. President Trump has become “frustrated” with diplomacy because he’s not seeing “the kind of quick results that he likes to see”, Vaez says.