Pope Leo plays down rift with Trump, doubles down on peace

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday downplayed his feud with US President Donald Trump over the Iran war, saying his remarks have been misinterpreted. Speaking aboard his flight to Angola — the third leg of his 10-day tour of Africa — Leo said a comment he made in Cameroon earlier this week that the world was being "ravaged by ​a handful of tyrants" was not aimed at Trump. “As it ​happens, it was looked ‌at as if I was trying to debate the president, which is not in my interest at all,” the pontiff told reporters. "Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said," he added.Leo plays up message of peace The pope said he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace, reconciliation, and bridge-building, without shying away from speaking out against war. Leo noted his Cameroon speech had been prepared two weeks earlier, much before Trump criticized Leo as being soft on crime and terrible on foreign policy.Pope Leo spoke to reporters on board a plane from Cameroon to AngolaImage: Luca Zennaro/AFP The pope had originally criticized Trump's threat on April 7 that a "whole civilization will die tonight," if Iran didn't comply with orders to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Leo called Trump's threat "truly unacceptable," questioning whether international law had been broken. On April 12, Trump said he was "not a big fan of Pope Leo," and accused him of "toying with a country [Iran] that wants a nuclear weapon". He later doubled down on his comments to reporters with a post on Truth Social, saying: "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon." The president also posted, then deleted, an AI-generated image of himself as ‌a ​Jesus-like figure, drawing criticism, even from some religious conservatives who typically support him.Trump as Jesus: Joke or blasphemy?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Pope to address natural resource exploitation During his visit to Angola, the pope is expected to meet with President Joao Lourenco before addressing the oil-rich country's political leaders. One of his priorities is expected to be the exploitation of natural resources, having already criticized foreign exploitation of Africa’s minerals during the trip. Much of Angola's 36.6 million population still lives in extreme ​poverty, with more than 30% ‌living on less than $2.15 (€1.83) per day, according to the World Bank. About half of the country identifies as Catholic. After decades of ⁠bloody conflict ​in the 20th century, Angola has become one of the leading oil-producing nations ​in sub-Saharan Africa, with the sector accounting for some 95% of its exports. Leo's tour of Africa began in Algeria on Monday, before moving on to Cameroon. After Angola, the pope will head to Equatorial Guinea. This tour is one of the most ambitious ⁠ever arranged for a pontiff, with ​stops in 11 cities and towns in four countries, covering nearly 18,000 kilometers (11,185 miles) over 18 flights.Can Pope Leo move President Trump on the Iran war?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Edited by: Wesley Dockery