Pope Leo Criticises Trump, Says God Rejects Prayers of "Bloodstained" Leaders

Pope Leo Criticises Trump, Says God Rejects Prayers of “Bloodstained” Leaders

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The leader of the worldwide Catholic Church, Pope Leo, issued a strong statement declaring that God ignores the prayers of leaders who ignite wars and have “hands full of blood”. This statement serves as a clear rebuke to the United States (US) administration amid the intensifying situation in the Middle East.

Pope Leo delivered these comments on Sunday (30/03/2026) local time, as thousands of US troops arrived in the Middle East. This occurred just days after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth prayed for violence against enemies deemed “unworthy of mercy”.

During the Palm Sunday mass in St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo emphasised that the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the US is profoundly cruel. He stressed that the figure of Jesus cannot be used by anyone to justify acts of war.

“This is our God: Jesus, the king of peace, who rejects war and cannot be used by anyone to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who ignite war, but rejects them,” Pope Leo stated firmly before tens of thousands of faithful, as quoted by The Guardian.

While citing a Bible verse, Leo added a crucial point regarding God’s stance towards leaders who choose the path of violence.

“Even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood,” Leo added, quoting the passage.

This first US-born Pope in the history of the Catholic Church did not specifically name any government or individual. However, this unusually sharp statement follows Hegseth’s prayer for violence on Wednesday and the buildup of US ground forces near Iranian territory.

Pope Leo then quoted the part of the Bible where Jesus rebukes a disciple for using a sword to drive away soldiers who came to arrest Him. Leo emphasised that Jesus did not arm Himself or fight back to reveal the gentle face of God.

“He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence. Instead of saving Himself, He allowed Himself to be nailed to the cross,” said Leo.

This call for peace comes as the Pentagon prepares for a ground operation lasting weeks, according to reports from US officials to The Washington Post. On the other hand, Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that his country’s forces are waiting for the US troops to “burn them”.

Leaders on all sides of the conflict are known to have used religion to justify their actions. However, Hegseth’s Christian faith in the Pentagon’s operational actions has attracted widespread attention and controversy.

Last week, at a Christian service for military and civilian workers in Washington, Hegseth offered a prayer that sparked debate over the use of military violence.

“Let every bullet hit its target against the enemies of truth and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trials ahead, unshakeable unity, and extraordinary violence in action against those who do not deserve mercy,” said Hegseth.

The Defence Secretary is known to be a member of a church affiliated with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. The founder of that church identifies as a Christian nationalist.

In response to the destruction occurring, Pope Leo has repeatedly called for ceasefires and bans on airstrikes in Lebanon, Israel, and Gulf countries. In his Sunday homily, he lamented the possibility that Christians in the region may not be able to celebrate Easter peacefully.

For Christians, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, commemorating Christ’s entry into Jerusalem a few days before His crucifixion and resurrection. However, tensions escalated in Jerusalem that Sunday morning.

Israeli police reportedly blocked Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Catholic archbishop with jurisdiction over Israel and Palestinian territories, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to lead the mass. This action drew strong condemnation from Western countries, including Israel’s close allies.

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, a devout evangelical Christian, called the incident an act that crossed the line.

“That incident is a very regrettable act that crossed the line,” Huckabee stated.

Similar condemnation came from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who deemed the action as wounding the principle of religious freedom that should be upheld.

“It is an insult not only to the faithful but to any community that respects religious freedom,” Meloni asserted firmly.

In agreement with Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the freedom to conduct worship in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all religions without exception.

In response to the wave of protests, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that there was no malicious intent behind blocking the Cardinal. He claimed the restrictions were based on security concerns.

“While I understand these concerns, I have instructed the relevant authorities to grant Pizzaballa full and immediate access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem,” said Netanyahu.