- President Trump reignited his dispute with Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of believing "it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon" and "endangering a lot of Catholics."
- The accusation was made during an interview where Trump discussed the case of jailed Hong Kong businessman Jimmy Lai, pivoting to an attack on the religious leader.
- This latest clash follows previous disagreements between Trump and the Pope on issues including the Iran war and immigration.
- Last month, the Pope criticised Trump's threat that "a whole civilization will die" in Iran as "unacceptable" and hinted at a "delusion of omnipotence" fueling conflicts.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with the Pope in Italy this week to discuss the Middle East and US-Cuba relations, with the Pope previously calling for dialogue between the US and Cuba.
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