Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva publicly defended the pope amid a growing dispute between the Vatican and U.S. President Donald Trump. The pope, speaking from Cameroon, urged peace and dialogue and criticized bombing and threats toward Iran. Trump pushed back, accusing the pontiff of political bias; Lula responded with a video message to Brazil’s bishops expressing solidarity and calling for compassion over force.
Lula Defends the Pope After Heated Exchange With Trump Over Iran Remarks
Pope Leo XIV waves to supporters as he leaves after his visit to the Ngul Zamba (Power of God) orphanage in Yaounde, Cameroon, Wednesday April 15, 2026 on the third day of his apostolic journey to Africa. (Alberto Pizzoli, Pool Photo via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SAO PAULO — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday urged defenders of the pope to stand up to “powerful people” who have recently attacked the pontiff, speaking as tensions escalated between the Vatican and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The pope, speaking while on a trip to Cameroon, called for peace and dialogue and criticized military action in Iran, saying that “God does not bless those who drop bombs.” Those remarks drew sharp responses from President Trump, who has publicly challenged the pope’s stance on security and accused him of being soft on crime and aligned with the political left.
The 80-year-old Lula — who is campaigning for reelection in October — delivered his remarks in a video message to Brazil’s National Conference of Bishops. He framed the dispute as part of a broader pattern in which advocates for peace and the oppressed are attacked by entrenched powers.
"My deepest solidarity to the pope. Throughout mankind’s history, advocates for peace and for the oppressed have been attacked by powerful people who think they are deities to be adored," Lula said. "It's better to have a heart full of love than the power of weapons and money."
The public spat began after the pope’s comment that God does not bless those who drop bombs and his characterization of threats to annihilate Iranian civilization as "truly unacceptable." Trump responded by criticizing the pope’s judgment on security and suggesting political bias. Lula’s intervention signals a clear defense of the pontiff from a leading figure in global politics and underscores how the disagreement has broadened into an international political debate.
Follow ongoing coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean for developments involving Brazil, the Vatican, and the United States.
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