Pope’s Peace Message Challenges Trump’s Militarism

By Tony Magliano – As an American Catholic journalist, I feel a moral obligation to share with readers the stark contrast between Pope Leo’s World Day of Peace message and President Trump’s invasion of Venezuela – including the kidnapping of its head of state President Maduro and his wife.

Military threats against Colombia, Iran, Cuba, Mexico, and an all-out push to force Greenland to become part of the U.S. despite the fact that 85% of Greenlanders do not want to become part of the U.S. and that 55% prefer to remain Danish citizens partly due to Denmark’s free healthcare – a benefit millions of Americans unfortunately do not have.

And in efforts to callously round-up undocumented immigrants in the U.S., Trump has sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents into cities like Minneapolis causing increasing intimidation, fear, racial profiling, and even the recent ICE killings of two nondangerous protesters.

Trump’s strategy of force, sadly echoes the violent slogan “might makes right.” In fact, although he drastically slashed funds for the poor and hungry – both in the U.S. and around the world – he is proposing a war-tempting astronomical $500 billion increase to the 2027 U.S. military budget, even though the U.S. already has by far the largest military budget in the world .

All of this stands in stark contrast to Pope Leo’s 2026 World Day of Peace message titled Peace Be With You All: Towards an “Unarmed and Disarming” Peace.

Right from the start, Pope Leo reminds us of the solid foundation upon which all true and lasting peace exists, that is, upon the peace of Christ Jesus! Quoting Jesus’ first words to the apostles after his resurrection, Leo writes “Peace be with you” and explains that our Lord’s Word “does not merely desire peace, but truly brings about a lasting transformation in those who receive it, and consequently in all reality.”

Thus peace, as the Lord’s gift to humanity, is not only the absence of war, but even much more. It is the transformation of the heart and mind of every person who humbly surrenders one’s will to receive and follow the directions of the nonviolent Prince of Peace. And in so doing, one becomes a deeply committed missionary disciple – one who is fully dedicated to living and sharing the Gospel of love, joy, and peace – “a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. It comes from God who loves us all unconditionally,” writes Leo.

The Holy Father adds, “Peace is a breath of the eternal: while to evil we cry out ‘Enough,’ to peace we whisper ‘Forever.’ Into this horizon the Risen One has led us.” But the all-important question is: Will we follow?

Pope Leo quotes St. Augustine of Hippo who wrote: “If you wish to draw others to peace, first have it yourselves; be steadfast in peace yourselves. To enflame others, you must have the flame burning within.”

Leo adds that Jesus “firmly repeats to those who would defend him by force: ‘Put your sword back into its sheath’ (Jn 18:11; cf. Mt 26:52). The peace of the risen Jesus is unarmed, because his was an unarmed struggle in the midst of concrete historical, political and social circumstances.”

Linking Jesus’ nonviolent words and example to today’s rush to violence, the Holy Father proclaims: “Throughout the world, it is to be hoped that every community become a ‘house of peace,’ where one learns how to defuse hostility through dialogue, where justice is practised, and forgiveness is cherished.”

Pope Leo’s World Day of Peace message is beautifully summed up with his inspiring words: “Just as on the evening of Easter Jesus entered the place where his disciples were gathered in fear and discouragement, so too the peace of the risen Christ continues to pass through doors and barriers in the voices and faces of his witnesses. This gift enables us to remember goodness, to recognise it as victorious, to choose it again, and to do so together.”

Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated Catholic social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings. Tony can be reached at .