Pope Leo XIV delivered his most forceful condemnation yet of global leaders who spend billions on warfare, declaring that the world is being "ravaged by a handful of tyrants" during a visit to Cameroon that has intensified his public feud with President Donald Trump over the Iran war.
The first American-born pontiff used unusually sharp language while speaking at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, the epicenter of Cameroon's separatist conflict, where he denounced leaders who manipulate religion to justify military action.
The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild. They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.
Pope Leo XIV — Multiple outlets
The papal remarks came as the Vatican received unprecedented support from American Catholic bishops, who issued a rare statement defending Leo's theological positions after Vice President JD Vance questioned the pope's authority on matters of war and peace.
Vance had challenged Leo's stance on just war theory during a Turning Point USA event, suggesting the pontiff should "be careful when he talks about theology." The bishops responded by affirming that Leo's comments align with over a thousand years of Catholic teaching on justified warfare.
BBC frames this as a diplomatic dispute between religious and political authority, emphasizing the pope's African context and separatist violence in Cameroon. Their coverage balances both sides while highlighting the unusual nature of such public Vatican-White House tensions.