Pope rejects US claim that God has picked a side in the Iran war

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo XIV challenged the Trump administration’s argument that God is on the side of the US in the conflict with Iran, the latest in a series of rebukes, even as the Vatican and the White House denied any rift following reports of a contentious meeting in January.

“God does not bless any conflict,” the pontiff wrote in an April 10 post on social media platform X.

“Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of #Peace.”

The Pope did not name names, but his remark followed repeated comments from US President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth couching the US war against Iran in religious terms, comparing a downed US fighter pilot to Jesus Christ and arguing that God has given divine protection to US troops.

Asked at a press conference earlier in April if God supports the US actions in the war, Mr Trump responded: “I do, because God is good.”

At the same press conference, Mr Hegseth drew parallels between Christ and the downing of a US fighter pilot on Good Friday who was then rescued on Easter Sunday.

“A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for, a nation rejoicing, God is good,” he said.

Two days later, at a separate briefing, Mr Hegseth had said the thousands of US strikes against Iran had been “carried out under the protection of divine providence, a massive effort with miraculous protection”.

“God deserves all the glory,” he said.

Those were only the latest in a series of remarks from Mr Hegseth framing his mission and the war in Iran in religious terms. The Pope has issued a succession of statements pushing back against the rise in conflict worldwide.

In a January address, the Pope made a plea for a more peaceful world order and offered oblique criticism of the US days after a US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

He was more pointed after Mr Trump issued a social media threat against Iran that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”. The Pope called that threat “truly unacceptable”.

At the same time, the Pentagon and the Vatican denied allegations of a rift following a news report of a contentious meeting in January between a papal envoy and a top US defence official.

The Free Press reported US officials had pressured the Catholic Church to take Washington’s side in international affairs – and warned of dire consequences if it failed to do so.

The article said that in the January meeting, Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby delivered a warning to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who served as the apostolic nuncio in Washington until his retirement in March. 

In separate statements, the two sides professed eagerness to get along, saying the meeting that occurred on Jan 22 was frank but polite.

The Defence Department issued a statement that said: “We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See.”

The Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Washington similarly said it was “grateful for the opportunities to meet and dialogue with government officials and others in Washington to discuss areas of mutual concern”. 

The apostolic nunciature, which represents the Holy See in Washington, did not characterise the Jan 22 meeting, saying only that the two sides “discussed current affairs”.

But the Trump administration pushed back, calling the Free Press report “grossly false and distorted”. It said the meeting was “substantive, respectful, and professional”.

Mr Trump’s ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch also denied a rift.

“Cardinal Pierre has been a regular interlocutor since my nomination,” he wrote on social media.

“When we disagree, we have done so with sincerity and respect. I believe the same could be said of his January meeting with Undersecretary Colby.” BLOOMBERG