Not in God’s name: How Pope Leo is pushing back on divine justification of war | CNN

On Tuesday night at a windy Castel Gandolfo, I asked Pope Leo XIV a question. With war potentially escalating in the Middle East, I wanted to know if he had a message for President Donald Trump and other leaders of the United States and Israel. His answer was telling. The first American pope spoke in English and said he hoped Trump would find an “off-ramp” to end the war with Iran. He called for an end to the violence and for leaders to negotiate. It’s rare for popes to cite world leaders by name, and this is one of the first times Leo has cited Trump publicly. His answer pointed to how the war is weighing heavily on him, and he spoke in a language that would be heard and understood in the White House. It also threw into sharp contrast the difference between the two most visible US leaders on the world stage right now. On one side, Pope Leo, the Chicago-born Augustinian friar, known as a gentle and reserved character who does not seek the spotlight. On the other, President Trump an almost omnipresent figure in the news agenda and disruptor of global politics. While Leo is not a confrontational pope, he is increasingly speaking out about the US-Israeli war with Iran. And he’