Trump is once again fabricating lies, claiming that Pope Leo said Iran could possess nuclear weapons.

CNN reported on April 16.

When CNN anchor Kate Lan Collins asked him why he was at odds with the Pope, Trump stated he "had no issue with the Pope," but "I must do what's right."

He then added: "I'm not quarreling with him. The Pope issued a statement. He said Iran can have nuclear weapons. I said Iran cannot have nuclear weapons."

Trump’s claim about the Pope’s remarks is false, as Collins promptly pointed out.

Pope Leo never made any statement suggesting Iran could possess nuclear weapons.

In fact, the Pope has repeatedly condemned nuclear weapons and explicitly called on nations worldwide to abandon them.

The Pope also spoke out against the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in late February.

Pope Leo, who was born in the United States and previously served as Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected Pope in May 2025.

The following month, as Israel prepared to attack Iran, he said: "The situation between Iran and Israel has severely deteriorated. At this delicate moment, I once again strongly urge accountability and reason. Creating a world free from nuclear threats and safer for all must be achieved through mutual respect and genuine dialogue, laying the foundation for lasting peace based on justice, fraternity, and shared interests."

In a statement released in July 2025, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Pope Leo stated: "True peace requires us to have the courage to lay down our arms—especially those capable of causing unimaginable devastation. Nuclear weapons desecrate our shared humanity and betray the harmony and dignity of creation entrusted to our care."

In February 2026, Pope Leo urged the United States and Russia not to let the New START Treaty expire without reaching a follow-up agreement, calling the treaty "a crucial step in curbing the spread of nuclear weapons," and emphasizing that "current circumstances demand every possible effort to avoid a new arms race, which would further threaten peace among nations."

From “believing” to “planning to say,” to “saying.”

Trump’s claims about Pope Leo’s alleged stance on Iran possessing nuclear weapons have escalated throughout the week.

On Sunday evening, in a social media post, he extensively criticized the Pope, writing: "I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons."

Later that day, Trump told reporters: "We don’t like a Pope who would say it’s okay for a country to have nuclear weapons."

These assertions—about the Pope’s supposed thoughts and future hypothetical statements—cannot be entirely disproven.

But this time, he claimed Pope Leo had actually stated that Iran possessing nuclear weapons was acceptable.

Yet the Pope never said such a thing.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862672861354124/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.