Pope reaffirms opposition to nuclear weapons in response to Trump's claims that Catholic teachings put people at risk

One year after becoming the first US-born pope, Pope Leo XIV has adopted a more forthright approach in his ongoing dispute with US President Donald Trump, marking a significant shift from his initial measured style.

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This transformation is particularly notable given the vastly different backgrounds and ideologies of the two leaders, with Robert Francis Prevost, a former missionary to Peru, and Trump holding divergent views on numerous issues.

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Pope Leo XIV's approach has been characterized by a more subdued and reserved tone, which has been in contrast to the spontaneity of his predecessor, Pope Francis, with the current pope focusing on social issues such as poverty and the risks of artificial intelligence.

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He has also implemented a more collaborative style of governance, delegating sensitive topics to senior clergy and allowing the US Church hierarchy to take the lead in criticizing Trump administration policies, particularly on migration.

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In November last year, US bishops published a letter denouncing the Trump administration's curbs on asylum rights as "inhumane", with the Vatican seeking to maintain a dialogue with Washington while providing a moral response to key issues.

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Pope Leo XIV has stated that he is "not afraid" of the Trump administration, but the rise of a "diplomacy based on force" under Trump has prompted him to gradually abandon his reserve and speak out more forcefully.

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Following the US-Israeli attack on Iran and the ensuing regional conflict, the pope's comments have become increasingly pointed, with him condemning Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization as "truly unacceptable" and urging Americans to demand that lawmakers "work for peace".

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Trump responded by calling the pope "weak" on crime and "terrible" on foreign policy, sparking widespread outrage, with Christopher White, a senior fellow at Georgetown University, attributing the pope's strong reaction to US officials' attempts to invoke religious language to justify war.

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According to White, Pope Leo XIV aims to frame the debate in moral terms and avoid escalation, seeking to be seen as a "pastor representing a global church" rather than an American representative of a superpower.

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White, author of the book "Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy", noted that the pope "doesn't want every word that he says to be seen as a direct response to Donald Trump", but the latest back-and-forth between the two leaders suggests this may be challenging.

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This week, Trump again criticized the pope in an interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, alleging that Pope Leo XIV believes it is "OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon", and stating that he thinks the pope is "endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people".

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In response to Trump's comments, Pope Leo XIV told reporters that the Church's mission is to "preach the Gospel and to preach peace", and that "if anyone wishes to criticise me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully".

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The pope also emphasized that the Church has long spoken out against all nuclear weapons, and he hopes to be heard for the sake of the value of God's word.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a devout Catholic, is set to meet with the Pope on Thursday, with Italian media presenting the meeting as an attempt to "thaw" relations, although it remains to be seen whether tensions will ease.

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Regardless, Vatican observers agree that Pope Leo XIV is not under pressure, given his age of 70 and good physical shape, which could allow for a long pontificate ahead of him.

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To mark his first anniversary in office on Friday, Pope Leo XIV will embark on an extensive tour of Italy over the coming months, starting with a visit to Pompeii and Naples.