Pope Leo XIV said on Monday he would not be silenced by criticism from United States (US) President Donald Trump, insisting that his mission was to proclaim the Gospel message of peace.
Speaking to journalists aboard his flight to Algiers at the start of a 10-day tour of Africa, the pontiff said that the Church was not a political actor in the same sense as governments.
"I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do.
"We are not politicians. We don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker," be said.
His response followed a sharp attack from Trump, who accused the pope of being "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy" in comments to reporters and on social media.
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The president’s broadside came after Pope Leo condemned threats linked to the Iran conflict as "truly unacceptable."
Pope Leo, the first US-born pontiff, arrived in Algiers on Monday morning, where he is scheduled to meet political leaders and visit the Great Mosque.
His itinerary also includes stops in Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, with a focus on dialogue and pastoral support for Catholic communities.
The 69-year-old, elected in May 2025 after the death of Pope Francis, has become a prominent voice against war and in favour of multilateral cooperation.
He repeatedly cited the Gospel injunction "Blessed are the peacemakers" and said he would not be drawn into a personal dispute with the US president.
"I don’t want to get into a debate with him. Rather, let us always seek peace and put an end to wars," he said.