‘Why Are You Fighting With the Pope?’: Kaitlan Collins Grills Trump About His Battle With the Pontiff

Reporters outside the White House grilled President Donald Trump about his public battle with Pope Leo XIV, with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins questioning, “Why are you fighting with the Pope?”

In the past week, Trump has repeatedly slammed the pope on Truth Social after Pope Leo condemned the Iran War and Trump’s “truly unacceptable” threat to wipe out a “whole civilization” if Iran’s leaders don’t strike a deal with the U.S.

“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History,” the president wrote on Sunday. “Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise.”

Thursday afternoon, a reporter asked Trump about his motivations for “fighting” with the Pope and whether he’s worried it’s “upsetting” his “image” in an unfinished question quickly cut off by the president.

“No, no, I have to do what’s right,” he said. “The pope has to understand that, very simple. I have nothing against the pope. His brother is MAGA all the way. I like his brother, Louis [Prevost].

Collins pressed again: “Why are you fighting with him?”

“I’m not fighting with him,” Trump claimed. “The pope made a statement. He says Iran can have a nuclear weapon. I say Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. If the pope looked at the 42,000 people that were killed over the last 2-3 months as a protester with no weapons, no nothing. I mean, you take a look at that. So, I can disagree with the pope. I have the right to disagree with the pope.”

Trump proceeded to respond to a muffled question about his conflict with the pope as the reporters spoke over each other:

“Look, I have no disagreement with the fact, the pope can say what he wants, and I want him to say what he wants, but I can disagree. I think Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. If they do, the whole world would be in jeopardy. The Middle East will be blown up, and the whole world in jeopardy. We are very close to making a deal. That will be a great thing. The pope has to understand: Iran has killed more than 42,000 people over the last few months. Think of it, protesters without guns, without anything. They were totally unarmed protestors. The pope has to understand that. This is the real world, it’s a nasty world, but as far as the pope and saying what he wants, he can do that. Now I know the pope’s brother is a big MAGA person. He’s got MAGA all over his house. His name is Louis. He’s a great guy. And I’m sure the pope is a great guy. I haven’t met him. But I disagree with the pope. If the pope would allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, you can’t do that.”

When asked about a statement released by a group of bishops who argued Pope Leo is not merely offering his opinion but rather preaching the Gospel, Trump encouraged him to do so.

“I want him to preach the gospel, I’m all about the gospel,” he said. “But I also know you cannot let a certain country, which is a very mean-spirited country, have a nuclear weapon. If they did, they would use it, and I think they’d use it quickly and they would kill many millions of people. So, the pope can disagree, but certainly we are allowed to have that.”

He went on to suggest that the pope would be “very happy” with the progress in the negotiations with Iran.

“I’m all about the gospel, I’m about it as much as anyone can be,” he said. “But I can’t allow, as the president of the United States of America, I can’t allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. And here’s the story, they won’t have. They’ve already agreed not to have. That’s good news, and I think the pope will be very happy with that.

Another reporter alleged Iran plans to execute four more protesters, including the first female protester — to which Trump immediately responded with, “Tell that to the pope.”

Watch above via Fox News.

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