Weekly Quiz: What Did Trump Say About Pope Leo XIV?

Published: 17 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

In this week’s news quiz, one of the most talked-about questions centered on the escalating war of words between President Donald Trump and the Holy See. After a week of Truth Social posts, AI-generated memes, and “papal flight” press conferences, the relationship between the 47th President and the first American-born Pope, Leo XIV, has reached a historic low. If you were following the headlines, you likely saw the President’s blunt assessment of the Chicago-born pontiff.

The Answer: In a series of Truth Social posts and White House press gaggles this week, President Trump labeled Pope Leo XIV “weak on crime,” “terrible for foreign policy,” and “a very liberal person.” The friction reached a boiling point on Sunday night when the President suggested that the Pope “should be thankful” to him, claiming that Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago—was only elected by the College of Cardinals last year because the Church wanted an American who could “deal with” the Trump administration. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote, adding that he “doesn’t want a Pope” who criticizes U.S. military operations or “thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”

While aboard a flight to Algeria for an 11-day tour of Africa, Pope Leo XIV showed unusual candor in his response to the President’s jabs. When asked about being called “weak” and a “politician,” the 70-year-old pontiff told journalists:

“I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel… I will not enter into a debate. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.'”

The primary driver of the conflict is the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Pope Leo has been a staunch critic of the combat operations initiated in February 2026, recently describing the President’s threat to terminate “Iranian civilization” as “truly unacceptable.” Trump, however, has doubled down on his rhetoric, falsely claiming that the Pope supports an Iranian nuclear program. On Thursday, Trump told reporters at the White House, “I have nothing against the Pope… but I also know that you cannot let [Iran] have a nuclear weapon.”

Did you get it right? The “Pope vs. President” saga has become a defining cultural moment of 2026, with 52% of Catholic voters now disapproving of the President’s job performance—a significant shift since the 2024 election. Whether you’re a quiz enthusiast or just a news buff, this week’s “papal firestorm” was impossible to miss.

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