The war of words, which some describe as “trolling,” between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV boils down to this: They are very different men with different missions.

Leo is the spiritual leader, the chief teacher, pastor and administrative head of 1.4 billion Catholics. He has made peace his top priority, calling it a “moral calling” rooted in human fraternity, justice, and humility, particularly in the Middle East. Trump is the President of 330 million Americans. His mission as president centers on an “America First” agenda, aiming to restore economic prosperity, secure the border, and restructure the federal government. His key priorities include implementing massive tariffs to boost domestic manufacturing, expanding tax cuts, unleashing energy production, and reversing regulations from the previous administration.

On Palm Sunday, March 29, Pope Leo XIV strongly condemned the war in Iran as “atrocious,” and “unjust,” demanding a stop to the violence. Though not naming specific leaders, his remarks were widely interpreted as a response to U.S. officials, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who, in a statement perhaps best left unsaid, had invoked God while asking for “overwhelming violence” against Iran.  Pope Leo further declared that God rejects the prayers of leaders who wage war and that Jesus cannot be used to justify the conflict.

Pope Leo urged for a ceasefire and peace, stating that those waging war have “hands full of blood and that Christians should “never stand on the side of those who … drop bombs.” Adding that “this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war.” The Pope said that “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war but rejects them.”

To me these words seem like a call to a pacifism that Christians are not required to subscribe to particularly when a nation like Iran has over and over in the last 47 years threatened to destroy the United States. It is also very clear that the Pope is either ignoring or rejecting the Christian concept of “just war” which Catholic doctrine accepts.

There was little doubt among observers that the Pope’s remarks on Palm Sunday were specifically directed at the United States and President Trump with no specific mention of Iran. Indeed, as of mid-April, the Pope has not singled out violence by Iran against its own people for commendation nor condemned Iran’s role as the primary state sponsor of terrorism but has frequently criticized the U.S. and Israel’s rhetoric and actions.

I think that Trump was justified in his criticisms of Pope Leo XIV for condemning Israel and the U.S., but also for failing to condemn the many Iranian outrages that led to this war. Unfortunately, Pope Leo has sounded more like a liberal Democratic politician than the Pope. I believe that it is no coincidence that following Palm Sunday, on April 9, David Axelrod, a fellow Chicagoan who is not Catholic, but was a senior adviser to President Obama had a meeting with Pope Leo. This happens to have been about the time when what the left wing media is calling an unprecedented public feud began.

On April 11, at a peace vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica Pope Leo XIV warned against the “logic of war” later calling Trump’s obviously over-hyperbolic threat to destroy Iranian civilization unacceptable. He also denounced the “delusion omnipotence” that he said was driving the war. He urged leaders to choose dialogue over “deadly actions” making me believe that the Pope has never dealt in negotiations or discussions with something as duplicitous as Iran.

Not to be outdone, on April 12 Trump posted on Truth Social, that the Pope is “weak on crime” and” terrible for foreign policy.” The President added, without providing any sort of proof, that Leo would not have been elected to the Papacy if he Trump was not President. He also made the foolish mistake of posting an AI created photo with him in a Christ like pose that many called blasphemy. Sometimes certain things should be left unposted, but then Trump will always be Trump.

On April 13 as Pope Leo XIV was leaving on an eleven day tour of Africa he told reporters aboard the Papal Plane that he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and will continue to speak out for peace. The following day Trump refused to apologize and continued to maintain that “Pope Leo said things that are wrong.”

There is little doubt on my part that Leo leans to the left. Unlike the current generation of priests graduating from the seminary, many of whom have decidedly conservative tendencies, it should be understood that Pope Leo XIV is part of a generation of Catholic clergy who were more liberal. The reasons for this include Catholic Social Teaching that emphasizes concern for the poor, marginalized, and the rights of labor, which aligns with left leaning economic policies. Unlike many Protestant churches, Catholic social doctrine has been historically skeptical of unregulated capitalism and finally because many were members of Irish, Italian and other immigrant communities with close ties to the Democratic Party.

My one hope is that both of these good men will come to understand each other better and that by working together they can do much to make the world a better place for all.

Thomas Kirkpatrick Sr. is a Silver Creek resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com.