Pope Leo addresses spat with Trump, says ‘debate’ is not focus of his Africa trip | CNN

Pope Leo XIV said Saturday “it’s not in my interest” to debate US President Donald Trump, insisting his trip to Africa is focused on peacebuilding rather than any personal clash. The first American pope, speaking to reporters on board the papal plane from Cameroon to Angola, said the “political situation” caused by Trump’s attacks on him had led to some inaccurate commentary during his 11-day trip to Africa. Before Leo departed on his four-country tour on April 13, the president launched a broadside against the pope through his Truth Social platform, with the criticisms continuing for several days. But on Saturday, the pope said he was not seeking to debate Trump and that “a certain narrative” about the trip had been fostered by the “political situation” created by the president. “There has been a certain narrative (about the visit) that has not been accurate in all of its aspects but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the President of the United States made some comments about me,” the pope said on board the plane from Yaoundé to Luanda. “Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on comm