Pope Leo Calls Out ‘Those Who Manipulate Religion and the Very Name of God’ for ‘Military, Economic and Political Gain’ in Scorching Statement

AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

Pope Leo XIV issued a statement condemning “those who manipulate religion and the very name of God” for “military, economic, and political gain” on Thursday amid his ongoing feud with President Donald Trump.

“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,” said the pope in a statement.

While Leo made his remarks in the city of Bamenda in Cameroon, they came just days after he publicly clashed with Trump over immigration and the war in Iran.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” wrote Trump in a Truth Social rant last week. “I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do.”

He continued, “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!”

Trump doubled down on his post, calling the pope “weak” on crime again during an interview with reporters.

White House border czar Tom Homan, a lifelong Catholic, also urged the pope to “stay out” of America’s affairs.

“There are enough problems with the Catholic Church – and I know because I’m a member of the Catholic Church – that they need to fix and concentrate on and leave politics alone,” said Homan. “I wish they would sit down and let me educate them on open borders.”

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