While travelling from Cameroon to Angola on April 18, during his African tour, Pope Leo XIV clarified that his “tyrants” comment was not directed at President Donald Trump.
The Pope addressed reporters on his flight to set the record straight after his speech in Bamenda, Cameroon, sparked global headlines suggesting he had labelled Trump a tyrant.
The Pope’s Exact Clarification
According to multiple reports, including Reuters and Politico, the Pope stated:
“There’s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects… much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said.”
He specifically addressed the timeline of the speech to prove it wasn’t a response to the President’s recent criticisms:
“That speech was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting.”
Regarding the interpretation that he was engaging in a public spat, he added:
“As it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate the president, which is not in my interest at all.”
Context of the Original “Tyrant” Comment
The initial comment was made on Thursday, April 16, during a peace mass in Bamenda, Cameroon—a region currently experiencing a violent separatist insurgency. In that sermon, the Pope said:
“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.”
“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain.”
While the media linked these words to a “war of words” with Trump regarding the conflict in Iran, the Vatican clarified that the Pope’s message was a broader evangelical call for peace directed at all global conflicts and the exploitation of the African continent.
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