politics
April 16, 2026
Pope says ‘world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants’ amid feud with Trump’s White House
Pontiff denounces leaders who invoke religion to justify war, after US bishops offer him support after Vance remarks
TL;DR
- Pope Leo XIV condemned leaders who invoke religion for military, economic, and political gain, highlighting the vast sums spent on war while resources for healing and education are scarce.
- US bishops publicly supported the Pope, defending his comments on war against criticism from JD Vance, who suggested the Pope should 'stick to matters of morality.'
- The US Conference of Catholic Bishops stated that the Pope's references to just war theory align with over a thousand years of Catholic tradition.
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami reported the termination of an $11 million contract by the Trump administration for services to unaccompanied immigrant children.
- The White House cited efforts to stop illegal entry and trafficking as reasons for consolidating facilities, though the charity's services were praised for their excellence.