ABOARD THE PAPAL AIRCRAFT — Pope Leo XIV departed Rome this week for an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa, telling journalists aboard his flight that the trip was about “dialogue, peace, and the universal dignity of every human being” — a message that reached billions of Catholics worldwide and, shortly thereafter, the social media feed of President Donald Trump.
“The Pope is not doing a very good job,” Trump posted on Truth Social at 11:47 p.m., in a message that has since been liked by 2.3 million people and described by theologians as “unprecedented,” “perplexing,” and “a sentence that would have caused a diplomatic incident in literally any other era of history.”
Trump did not elaborate on which specific papal duties he felt were being underperformed, though sources close to the White House suggested he may have been referring to the Pope’s recent comments on wealth inequality, immigration, and environmental stewardship — three topics on which, observers noted, the President holds differing views.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of leaders. Some great, some not so great. The Pope — nice guy, nice outfit — but not a dealmaker. No leverage. I asked him what he wanted for the Vatican and he said ‘peace for all mankind.’ That’s not how you negotiate.”
— President Trump, at a private fundraiser in Palm Beach
Pope Leo XIV, who has been pontiff since the unexpected passing of Pope Francis last year, appeared unaware of the review while mid-flight over the Mediterranean. When a journalist read him the post, he paused, smiled, and said: “Please pray for him.” He then returned to reading briefing documents on poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Vatican’s communications office declined to issue a formal response, though a spokesperson noted — with what witnesses described as visible restraint — that the Holy Father “wishes all world leaders well in their respective responsibilities.”
Analysts were divided on the significance of the exchange. Some noted it was the first time a sitting U.S. president had publicly criticized a pope since… actually, they couldn’t find a precedent. “We checked back to Eisenhower,” admitted one historian. “Nothing. This is new territory.”
The Pope’s Africa tour, which will include stops in Algeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya, is focused on interfaith dialogue and humanitarian support — a 7,000-mile goodwill mission that, by any metric, represents an extremely demanding job performance.
Trump, meanwhile, is expected to spend the week at Mar-a-Lago, where aides say he is “resting, golfing, and monitoring the Pope situation.”
Globe News Daily notes that God’s approval rating is unavailable, though we suspect it factors into ongoing evaluations.
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