Pope Leo addresses spat with Trump, says ‘debate’ is not focus of his Africa trip

Luanda, Angola (CNN) — Pope Leo XIV said Saturday “it’s not in my interest” to debate US President Donald Trump, insisting his trip to Africa is focused on peacebuilding rather than any personal clash.

The first American pope, speaking to reporters on board the papal plane from Cameroon to Angola, said the “political situation” caused by Trump’s attacks on him had led to some inaccurate commentary during his 11-day trip to Africa.

Before Leo departed on his four-country tour on April 13, the president launched a broadside against the pope through his Truth Social platform, with the criticisms continuing for several days.

But on Saturday, the pope said he was not seeking to debate Trump and that “a certain narrative” about the trip had been fostered by the “political situation” created by the president.

“There has been a certain narrative (about the visit) that has not been accurate in all of its aspects but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the President of the United States made some comments about me,” the pope said on board the plane from Yaoundé to Luanda. “Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said.”

The pope pointed to the speech he made Thursday in Bamenda, Cameroon, in which he spoke of the world being ravaged by a “handful of tyrants” and leaders spending “billions of dollars” on war.

“The talk that I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a couple of days ago was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president had ever commented on myself and the message of peace that I am promoting,” he said on board Saturday’s flight. “And yet, as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all.”

On board the plane to Algeria on 13 April, Leo responded to the president’s online attacks, saying he was not afraid of the Trump administration and would keep pushing his message of peace. But recent days have seen an unprecedented clash – albeit largely one-sided – between a US pope and US president.

The pope’s visit to Africa is the longest of his pontificate and takes him to a continent where the Catholic Church is growing. According to Vatican statistics, around a fifth of the world’s Catholics live in Africa.

“I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church, to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all of the Catholics throughout Africa,” Leo said Saturday.

He added that his time in Africa was about “dialogue, promotion of fraternity, true understanding, acceptance, peacebuilding with people of all faiths.”

The-CNN-Wire
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