Pope Leo XIV, a vocal critic of Donald Trump since his election in May 2025, has declined an invitation from the White House. Trump invited the head of the Catholic Church to join the president’s Board of Peace, according to a senior Vatican official. Launched in late 2025, the Board is an international organization tasked with overseeing the processes of the Gaza peace plan, led by the U.S. government.
Executive members include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Israeli real estate businessman Yakir Gabay, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Cardinal Pietro Parolin released a statement on behalf of the Pope. He stated His Holiness “will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States.”
Pope Leo XIV will not serve on President Trump’s “Board of Peace”
“One concern,” he continued, “is that at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations. This is one of the points on which we have insisted.”
Several countries, namely Italy (in which Vatican City is located), as well as the UK, Canada, France, and Germany, are not members of the board. Critics of Trump’s board have accused the body of attempting to usurp the powers of the United Nations (UN).
Pope Leo has criticized the Trump administration’s policies on several occasions. In a November 2025 address, he called for “deep reflection” for the U.S. on its treatment of migrants. The English-language speech was aimed directly at American Catholics. The Holy See said every Christian will be judged on how they welcomed “the foreigner”.
His predecessor, Pope Francis, was even harsher in his views on Trump. The late church leader once called the President “not Christian” for his border wall policy. Additionally, both popes have been vocal about the treatment of Palestinians by foreign nations.
In July last year, Pope Leo called out the “barbarity” of the war in Gaza. He also said an “indiscriminate use of force” had been inflicted upon Gazans. The Catholic Church leader called on the international community during the address.
“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians,” he said. The church also called for “the prohibition of collective punishment,” as well as “the forced displacement of populations.”
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THE VATICAN IS RIGHT TO BE SKEPTICAL OF THE BOARD OF PEACE?
The post Pope Leo XIV Turns Down Donald Trump’s Invitation for This Reason appeared first on Reality Tea.
Fonte: Leia a matéria original
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