Pope Leo XIV used a high-profile visit to Africa to deliver a strong message on corruption, conflict, and the growing influence of wealth and power in global politics remarks that come amid a public back-and-forth with US President Donald Trump.
Speaking in Cameroon alongside President Paul Biya, who has ruled since 1982, the Pope urged leaders to resist corruption and avoid what he described as pressure from powerful elites. His comments were delivered during a visit that also carried symbolic weight, as separatist groups in the region temporarily declared a pause in fighting to allow safer passage during his trip.
In his address, Pope Leo said that injustice, violence, and war “tear at God’s heart,” and emphasized that leadership should be rooted in humility and service rather than pride or dominance. He added that what he called “God’s heart” is with ordinary people the poor, the vulnerable, and those seeking peace in difficult conditions.
The Pope also reinforced his message on social media platform X, calling for a rejection of violence and a shift toward what he described as a “peace founded on love and justice.” He stressed that peace should not rely on fear, threats, or weapons, but instead on trust, empathy, and reconciliation. He concluded with a broader appeal, stating that the world continues to suffer from war, displacement, and destruction.
His remarks follow several critical statements from President Donald Trump, who has previously described the Pope as “weak on crime” and “bad for foreign policy.” Trump has also declined to retract those comments when asked at the White House.
In response, Pope Leo has maintained that his focus is spiritual rather than political. He has said he is speaking from a Gospel perspective and will continue addressing issues related to war and justice without engaging in personal disputes. He also clarified that his comments were not aimed at any individual leader, but rather at what he sees as a wider global pattern of power being misused.
The exchange has drawn reactions from US political figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who defended Trump and suggested that religious leaders should expect political pushback if they comment on policy matters. Johnson also referenced the long-standing “just war” tradition in Christian theology while responding to the Pope’s remarks.
During his Africa tour, which includes visits to Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Algeria, Pope Leo has focused heavily on peacebuilding and conflict resolution. In Cameroon specifically, his visit to the Bamenda region drew attention due to its ongoing role in the country’s long-running tensions between Anglophone separatists and government forces, a conflict that has persisted despite earlier attempts at national dialogue.
Is Pope Leo XIV’s call for peace a direct response to his ongoing tensions with Donald Trump?
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