'Not afraid!' Pope Leo XIV fires back after Trump's brutal dig

Pope Leo XIV, and U.S. President Donald Trump have had an exchange with the later attacking the Pope calling him weak (photo courtesy)

A rare and fiery clash has erupted between the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, and U.S. President Donald Trump, with the pontiff declaring he is "not afraid" to challenge political power in the name of peace.

Speaking aboard the papal plane on Monday, Pope Leo XIV delivered a calm but firm response to Trump's blistering criticism, making it clear that his mission goes beyond politics.

"I have no fear of the Trump administration nor of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel," the pope said. "We are not politicians... but I do believe that the message of the Gospel - 'blessed are the peacemakers' - is what the world needs to hear today."

The remarks come just hours after Trump launched a scathing attack, branding the first American pope as "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy."

"I don't think he's doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess," Trump said in remarks to NBC News. "We don't like a pope that's going to say that it's OK to have a nuclear weapon... I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo."

But the Vatican was quick to push back, with Pope Leo XIV reiterating that the Church's role is not to craft policy, but to uphold moral truth - especially in times of war.

"We don't deal with foreign policy the way politicians might understand it," he said. "But we stand for peace."

The pope responded while en route Monday to Algeria for the first stop of an 11-day tour of four African nations.

The escalating spat has triggered global reaction, with leaders rallying behind the pope and condemning Trump's remarks as disrespectful.

Among them is Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, a known Trump ally, who broke ranks to defend the pontiff.

"Trump's remarks are unacceptable," Meloni said in a statement. "The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and condemn every form of war."

Meloni's comments mark a notable shift, given her previously cautious stance on criticizing Trump, highlighting just how far the controversy has spread.