Faced with Trump, Pope Leo opts for indirect diplomacyAFP, VATICAN CITYFaced with a highly polarized US political landscape, Leo XIV, the first American pope, has opted for discreet and indirect criticism while also keeping channels of communication open. As an American, he is somewhat the natural opponent of Trumpism,” a Vatican source said on condition of anonymity. “The aim was to avoid a bloodbath and bring the actors back to reason,” a senior Vatican source said. Leo has yet to meet Trump, although he received Vice President JD Vance two weeks after his election in May last year. “The risk is a disintegration, even a collapse, of the reputation and historical role of the American Church,” he said.

Source: Taipei Times February 03, 2026 16:32 UTC