Trump doubles down on Pope

Washington 

Depsite facing intense criticism from his core Chrsitian voter base, US President Donald Trump took another swipe at Pope Leo XIV, claiming that Iran has killed over 42,000 unarmed protesters after the Pontiff called for dialogue regarding the conflict with Iran.

Trump reiterated that it was 'unacceptable' for the US that Iran gets a nuclear bomb.

In a post on Truth Social, he said, "Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable. Thank you for your attention to this matter."

Earlier, Trump had refused to apologise to Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, following his public criticism of the Pope's stance on Iran and domestic issues.

Trump described Pope Leo's positions as "wrong" and suggested that the pontiff would be "unhappy with the result" of his administration's policies, further intensifying political and diplomatic tensions.

"I won't apologise to Pope Leo. I think he's very weak on crime and other things," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Vance disputes pontiff’s stand on army action

Washington: US Vice President JD Vance pushed back against recent remarks made by Pope Leo XIV on Western military actions and the Iran conflict. While Vance noted that he likes it when the Pope talks about matters of war and peace because it invites conversation, he specifically questioned the theological framing of the pontiff's recent claims.