Pope Leo says remarks about world being 'ravaged by a ​handful of tyrants' were not aimed at Trump: report

Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that remarks helium made this week successful which helium said the "world is being ravaged by a fistful of tyrants" were not directed astatine President Donald Trump, a study said. 

The pope, speaking onboard a formation to Angola during his 10-day circuit of Africa, said reporting astir his comments "has not been ‌accurate successful each its aspects" and his code "was ⁠prepared 2 weeks ago, good earlier the president ever commented connected myself and connected the connection of bid that I americium promoting," according to Reuters.

The quality outlet cited the pope arsenic saying his comments were not aimed astatine Trump.

"As it happens, it was looked astatine arsenic if I was trying to statement the president, which is not successful ​my involvement astatine all," the pope reportedly said.

'60 MINUTES' ACCUSED OF USING LEFT-LEANING CARDINALS TO BAIT TRUMP INTO FEUD WITH VATICAN

Pope Leo XIV answers journalists' questions during his formation from Yaoundé, Cameroon, to Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (Luca Zennaro/Pool Photo via AP)

Vice President JD Vance aboriginal took to X to convey the pope for clearing the record.

"While the media communicative perpetually gins up struggle — and yes, existent disagreements person happened and volition hap — the world is often overmuch much complicated," Vance wrote. "Pope Leo preaches the gospel, arsenic helium should, and that volition inevitably mean helium offers his opinions connected the motivation issues of the day.

"The President — and the full medication — enactment to use those motivation principles successful a messy world," helium continued. "He volition beryllium successful our prayers, and I anticipation that we'll beryllium successful his."

The vice president's comments came days aft helium told Fox News' Bret Baier connected "Special Report" that it would beryllium champion for the Vatican to "stick to matters of morality."

"Let the President of the United States instrumentality to dictating American nationalist policy," Vance said Tuesday.

Trump past Sunday accused Pope Leo XIV of being "terrible" connected overseas argumentation aft the pontiff criticized the U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran.

"He talks astir 'fear' of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t notation the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and each different Christian Organizations, had during COVID erstwhile they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, adjacent erstwhile going outside, and being 10 and adjacent 20 feet apart," Trump wrote successful a Truth Social post. 

"I don’t privation a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to person a Nuclear Weapon."

POPE LEO SLAMS THOSE WHO 'MANIPULATE RELIGION' FOR MILITARY OR POLITICAL GAIN, TRUMP RESPONDS

Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump (Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images; Salwan Georges/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

During a code successful Cameroon connected Thursday, the pope said, "We indispensable marque a decisive alteration of people — a existent conversion — that volition pb america successful the other direction, onto a sustainable way affluent successful quality fraternity.

"The satellite is being ravaged by a fistful of tyrants, yet it is held unneurotic by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.

Pope Leo XIV speaks arsenic helium meets with the assemblage of Bamenda astatine Saint Joseph's Cathedral successful Bamenda connected the 4th time of an 11-day apostolic travel to Africa April 16, 2026. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)

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"Woe to those who manipulate religion and the precise sanction of God for their ain military, economical oregon governmental gain, dragging that which is ineffable into acheronian and filth."

Fox News Digital has reached retired to the White House for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.