President Donald J. Trump launched a blistering attack on Pope Leo XIV Sunday in a lengthy Truth Social post, accusing the pontiff of being “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the White House and the Vatican.

Trump criticized the pope for expressing “fear” of his administration, while pointing to what he described as government overreach during COVID, when religious leaders were allegedly targeted for holding services.

“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote, also taking aim at the pope’s reported stance on U.S. actions abroad, including Venezuela.

The president further accused Pope Leo of undermining America while aligning with left wing figures, specifically naming political strategist David Axelrod, whom Trump labeled “a LOSER from the Left.”

In one of the most striking claims, Trump suggested the pope’s rise to the papacy was politically motivated.

“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote, adding that the Church selected him because he is American and seen as a counterbalance to Trump.

Trump also contrasted the pope with his brother, saying he prefers him because “he is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t.”

The president concluded by urging the pope to “get his act together,” warning that his approach is hurting both himself and the Catholic Church.

The comments mark a rare and direct confrontation between a sitting U.S. president and the head of the Catholic Church, signaling a deepening divide over issues including foreign policy, religion, and global leadership.