Pope Leo: ‘I am not afraid of the Trump administration’
...Arrives Algeria at start of 4-nation Africa trip
Algiers, April 13, 2026
Pope Leo XIV has rejected criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump of his appeal to end the various wars around the world and said he is not afraid of the U.S. president.
Leo made the comments on Monday onboard an aircraft taking him to Algiers, the first stop on his four-nation Africa trip.
“The things I say are not meant as attacks on anyone,” the head of the Catholic Church said.
“I am not a politician. I am inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.
“I am not afraid of the Trump administration,’’ Leo stressed.
Shortly before the pontiff’s departure, the U.S. president accused him of pursuing a terrible foreign policy.
On the Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that the US-born Pope only came into office because people had hoped that a Pope from the United States would be able to deal with him better.
`”If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo would not be in the Vatican,” Trump said, noting that he did not want a Pope who thought it was acceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
Leo told journalists on board his aircraft: “The message of the gospel is very clear: ‘blessed are the peacemakers.’ I will not shy away from announcing the message of the gospel.
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here.
“I think is not understanding what the message of the gospel is, I am sorry to hear that but I will continue with what I believe is the mission of the Church in the world today,’’ Leo added.
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV has arrived Algeria on Monday to begin an 11-day tour of Africa – the longest trip so far of his papacy – which began less than a year ago.
In a meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, both sides underscored their willingness to strengthen cooperation between Algeria and the Vatican.
Tebboune described the papal visit as “historic,” according to reports from the state news agency.
The president highlighted dialogue, peace, and tolerance as shared values and pointed to Algeria’s commitment to social justice.
Referring to international conflicts, particularly in the region, he called for an end to violence, greater humanitarian support for civilians, and recognition of a Palestinian state, stressing the importance of peace and cooperation in addressing global crises.
Leo was also scheduled to visit the Great Mosque in the capital, Algiers.
No Pope has previously visited Algeria, a predominantly Muslim country of nearly 47 million people, of whom only about 9,000 are Catholic.
But the country holds special significance for Leo, as St Augustine of Hippo was born there in the 4th century.
The Pope has been a member of the Augustinian order for almost 50 years and previously served as its global head.
On Tuesday, Leo is due to travel to Annaba, formerly known as Hippo, where Augustine served as bishop.
From Algeria, the Pope will continue to Cameroon from Wednesday to Saturday, followed by Angola until April 21 and Equatorial Guinea until April 23.
Africa has been a frequent destination for recent popes. John Paul II visited the continent 15 times, while Francis made five trips.
The continent is home to around 290 million Catholics – more than in Europe – and accounts for about 20.3 per cent of the global Catholic population, making it one of the fastest-growing regions for the Church.
