American President Donald Trump viciously attacked Pope Leo XIV, calling him "weak" on crime and "terrible" on foreign policy, after the head of the Catholic Church criticized Trump's policies.

"Pope Leo is WEAK on crime and terrible on foreign policy", Trump wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social.

Leo XIV, known for his careful choice of words, emerged as an outspoken critic of the American-Israeli military operation against Iran that began on February 28. The pope stated that Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization is "unacceptable" and called for "deep reflection" on the way migrants are treated in the United States.

"Leo needs to get his act together as pope," Trump wrote, and later told reporters he was not a "big fan" of the leader of the Catholic Church.

Trump's lengthy statement included criticism of the pope's positions on nuclear weapons, policy toward Venezuela, and alleged alignment with left-wing figures. Trump claimed that without his presidency, Leo would not be pope, and that he should focus on being a good pope instead of a politician.

The public conflict between the American president and the head of the Catholic Church represents a significant diplomatic incident.