On Monday, President Trump stood firm in his decision not to apologize to Pope Leo XIV amidst their ongoing clash over the U.S.-Iran conflict. Trump asserted that the head of the Roman Catholic Church had made incorrect statements regarding the issue.

“He strongly opposed my actions concerning Iran,” Trump stated. “But we cannot allow Iran to become a nuclear power—Pope Leo wouldn’t be pleased with the outcome if they did.”

The President went on to express his belief that Iran’s nuclear ambitions are aimed at global destruction, adding emphatically, “That’s not going to happen.”

In an unscheduled media briefing outside the Oval Office, Trump also criticized the pope’s stance on crime, labeling it as “very weak.”

Earlier in the day, Pope Leo XIV had reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for peace and dialogue. “I will continue to speak out loudly against war, promoting peace, and encouraging multilateral relationships among nations to seek fair solutions to global issues,” he declared.

Additionally, Trump addressed a controversial image he had briefly shared on Truth Social, which portrayed him in a manner reminiscent of Jesus Christ. “I thought it depicted me as a doctor,” he commented.

“Only the fake news could come up with that,” added Trump of the holy connection.

“I make people better.”