Trump Attacks the Pope for His Old Tweets
I read the Pope's entire Twitter history, and here's what I found
Once known as Robert Frances Prevost, Pope Leo XIV has made clear where he stands on the issue of universal human rights — no exceptions.
In a time of deep political division and escalating global crises, Pope Leo has emerged as a powerful advocate for justice, human rights, and moral clarity. His public stances on issues ranging from combatting gun violence, to protecting immigrant rights, abolishing the death penalty, to ending the genocide in Gaza, and the war on Iran — are reflections of his faith and bold assertions of humanity’s shared responsibility to uphold dignity and compassion for all people.
These principled stances have upset Donald Trump, JD Vance, and even Sean Hannity, who recently announced he’s now leaving the Catholic Church. In particular, the Pope’s old Tweets have created controversy, with Donald Trump himself now citing them to attack the Pope. Let’s Address This.
Qasim Rashid is a human rights attorney, author, and host of Let’s Address This — a platform dedicated to human rights, social justice, and the facts that corporate media ignores. For only two more days, an annual subscription to support this work is 50% off in honor of our two-year anniversary.
The Tweet That Upset Trump
After an internet troll found a Tweet Pope Leo retweeted in 2018 in condemnation of Trump’s policy of caging children, Donald Trump responded “Not good!!!”
Let’s be clear for a moment—caging children is bad. The Pope’s decision to retweet a Tweet calling out this injustice is what you want in a moral leader. Thus, it should come as no surprise that Pope Leo also posted the following.
This, after Pope Leo condemned the Israeli government for refusing to recognize a Palestinian state, spoke to the people of Lebanon as Israel was bombing them with the Islamic greeting of Asalaamo Alaikum, and finally, refused to respond to Trump’s aggressive attacks against him. Indeed, the Vatican states that the Pentagon reportedly militarily threatened the Pope for criticizing Donald Trump.
Upholding Justice and Opposing the Death Penalty
Pope Leo has instead made clear that he refuses to engage in such attacks. That his purpose is to uphold justice and peace, as Jesus Christ taught. I, for one, am grateful to see a religious leader whose words match his actions. It is no wonder that the Pope’s approval rating is nearly 50 points higher than that of Donald Trump’s approval rating.
The Pope’s Old Tweets
So I thought, given that Trump is digging up the Pope’s old Tweets, I’d beat him to the punch. I read through the Pope’s entire Twitter history, and this is what I found.
First, his staunch opposition to the death penalty. His Tweet from March 5, 2015, simply stating, “It’s time to end the death penalty,” reflects his firm belief that state-sanctioned executions are not only morally indefensible but contrary to the essence of justice.
The Pope’s stance aligns with growing global recognition that capital punishment is a violation of human rights, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, and often riddled with wrongful convictions. His call for abolition is a reminder that justice should be restorative, not retributive.
Defending the Vulnerable: Immigrants and Refugees
The Pope’s commitment to human rights extends deeply into his advocacy for immigrants and refugees.
His public denouncement of Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and his visible support for Syrian refugees speaks volumes. On January 27, 2017, he reposted the famous and heartbreaking image of a Syrian child, bloodied and battered, with the caption: “We’re banning all Syrian refugees? The men, women, and children who most need help? What an immoral nation we are becoming. Jesus weeps.”
His words call attention to the moral crisis of denying sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution, echoing a core principle of faith: to welcome the stranger and protect the vulnerable. Pope Leo has likewise openly condemned the Trump administration’s child separation policy, and the caging of children.
In another repost, he called out the racist undertones of Trump’s policies, highlighting how terms like “bad hombres” fuel nativism and bigotry.
And most recently, he’s openly opposed the cruelty of JD Vance, as he demonizes immigrants with bizarre faith based justifications.
The Pope’s voice on these issues is not just compassionate—it is courageous, cutting through political noise to demand that America live up to its ideals of liberty and justice for all. JD Vance meanwhile has the audacity to lecture the Pope on morality.
Combating Gun Violence and Demanding Action
Gun violence is a uniquely American epidemic, and Pope Leo has not shied away from calling out political inaction. His retweet of Senator Chris Murphy’s powerful statement after the Las Vegas shooting—“Your cowardice to act cannot be whitewashed by thoughts and prayers. None of this ends unless we do something to stop it.”—is a testament to his belief in action over rhetoric.
The Pope’s alignment with leaders who demand legislative action on gun control is a bold stance that underscores his commitment to safeguarding lives.
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Racial Justice and Moral Leadership
On May 30, 2020, amidst nationwide protests for racial justice after police murdered George Floyd, Pope Leo tweeted, “Thank you! We need to hear more from leaders in the Church, to reject racism and seek justice.”
On the same day he elevated additional voices for racial justice. And these were not isolated Tweets. I found Tweets from years prior celebrating racial justice.
Back in 2014 Pope Leo celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. His call for moral leadership in the face of racial injustice highlights his understanding that silence is complicity.
Prevost’s consistent advocacy for racial equality and justice is a reminder that the fight for civil rights is far from over and requires voices of faith and moral clarity to lead the charge.
Climate Action as a Moral Imperative
Prevost’s environmental advocacy is equally strong. He publicly urged Donald Trump to read Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change, calling for immediate action to protect the environment. His retweet from June 1, 2017, emphasized the urgency of combating climate change, aligning with global scientific consensus that protecting the planet is not just a political issue but a moral one.
He’s additionally recognized that religion and science are not enemies, and should be treated as such. Like his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, Pope Leo is continuing an important tradition of ensuring that those of faith also embrace science.
As the current anti-science administration dismantles critical regulations and departments, one can only hope that Pope Leo might influence someone in the Trump regime to reverse course and instead re-embrace science based policy.
Conclusion
Pope Leo XIV’s bold stances on issues like racial justice, climate action, and ending the death penalty reveal a leader unafraid to challenge political powers in defense of human rights. His unwavering support for immigrants and refugees stands as a testament to his commitment to compassion and justice. He’s called for unity between Christians and Muslims and been unequivocal in condemning war and bombing of civilians in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran.
While Donald Trump, JD Vance, and the MAGA right continue to attack the Pope, the Pope responds fearlessly that he serves God, not a political agenda.
In my view, that’s what frightens Trump the most—a man he cannot force to bend to his will.
Long live the Pope.
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Qasim Rashid is a human rights attorney, author, and host of Let’s Address This — a platform dedicated to human rights, accountability, and the justice that our society demands. Subscribe, share, and let’s remain relentless in our mission for a more perfect Union.
Everything the man every tweeted or retweeted is just basic Catholic Teaching. Interesting that supposed Catholics in this regime don't recognize it.
Let’s attack Trump on his old tweets.