Pope Leo XIV said on the 13th (local time) while speaking with reporters aboard a plane bound for Algeria that criticism of the "delusion of omnipotence" was not intended to directly attack President Trump or anyone else, the Associated Press and others reported.
The pope said, "To place my words on the same level as what President Trump was trying to do is to misunderstand the message of the Gospel," adding, "I will not engage in the controversy." He continued, "I will never avoid the work of helping everyone find ways of peace and reconciliation and look for paths to avoid war," and added, "I am not at all afraid of the Trump administration."
Recently, through prayer meetings and social media (SNS), the pope said, "God does not bless any war," adding that the "delusion about omnipotence" is stoking war. Citing the Bible, he also noted, "The prayers of those who wage war will be rejected."
This prompted interpretations that the pope had criticized President Trump. In response, President Trump wrote on social media the previous day, "I do not want a pope who thinks it is okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons," adding, "If I were not in the White House, Leo would not be in the Vatican." Along with the post, Trump uploaded an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image that appeared to compare himself to Jesus, sparking controversy.