Donald Trump has defended his recent criticism of Pope Leo XIV saying he has a “right to disagree” over Iran's nuclear weapon.

As the Trump administration and Pope Leo XIV publicly sparred over the Iran war, social media users claimed that both the pontiff and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cited fictional Bible verses to promote their messages.

Pope Leo XIV is on his third day in Cameroon before he heads to Angola on Saturday.

Pope Leo has debuted a new, forceful speaking style on ⁠his ⁠four-nation Africa tour this week, issuing sharp denunciations of ⁠war and inequality that have sparked repeated attacks on the pontiff from U.

Pope Leo denounced people who "manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain" during a Cameroon speech.

Flying to Algeria at the start of his landmark Africa tour on Monday, Pope Leo had a choice. He could ignore Donald Trump’s extraordinary overnight social media tirade against him, or he could tackle it head-on.

The Fox News host sent a message for the pontiff, but critics weren't having it.