Pope Calls for World Peace and Coexistence, Undeterred by Trump's Repeated Attacks
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, called for global peace and coexistence during his African tour. He stated he remains undeterred by US President Trump's social media attacks over his criticism of the US-Israel war on Iran.
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- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 02:48
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(Central News Agency, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 15th) After US President Trump took to social media for the second time this week to attack Roman Catholic Pope Leo XIV, the Pope said today that the world needs to hear a message of peace and coexistence.
According to Reuters, Leo XIV, the first American Pope, is currently on a whirlwind 10-day tour of Africa. After concluding his first stop in Algeria, he boarded a flight to his second stop, Cameroon. Speaking on the plane, he called for respect for all people and stated that the trip highlights the importance of dialogue between different communities.
Leo XIV had just concluded a two-day visit to Algeria, where Muslims form the majority and Catholics are a minority. Reflecting on this leg of the journey, he said: 'Even though we have different faiths, different ways of worship, and different lifestyles, we can still peacefully coexist.'
He further added: 'Promoting such an image is the message the world needs to hear today.'
On the eve of Leo XIV's departure, Trump had criticized him as 'terrible,' drawing condemnation from Christians across the political spectrum in the US. However, Trump doubled down on his criticism last night, posting more attacks against the Pope on social media.
Leo XIV became Pope in May last year, becoming the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. He maintained a relatively low profile during the first 10 months of his papacy, but in recent weeks has begun to speak out against the US and Israeli war on Iran.
Leo XIV told Reuters on the 13th that he intends to continue condemning the war and will not be swayed by Trump's rhetoric.
According to Reuters, Leo XIV, the first American Pope, is currently on a whirlwind 10-day tour of Africa. After concluding his first stop in Algeria, he boarded a flight to his second stop, Cameroon. Speaking on the plane, he called for respect for all people and stated that the trip highlights the importance of dialogue between different communities.
Leo XIV had just concluded a two-day visit to Algeria, where Muslims form the majority and Catholics are a minority. Reflecting on this leg of the journey, he said: 'Even though we have different faiths, different ways of worship, and different lifestyles, we can still peacefully coexist.'
He further added: 'Promoting such an image is the message the world needs to hear today.'
On the eve of Leo XIV's departure, Trump had criticized him as 'terrible,' drawing condemnation from Christians across the political spectrum in the US. However, Trump doubled down on his criticism last night, posting more attacks against the Pope on social media.
Leo XIV became Pope in May last year, becoming the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. He maintained a relatively low profile during the first 10 months of his papacy, but in recent weeks has begun to speak out against the US and Israeli war on Iran.
Leo XIV told Reuters on the 13th that he intends to continue condemning the war and will not be swayed by Trump's rhetoric.