Cal Thomas: Pope Leo’s flawed war doctrine

Cal Thomas, Tribune Content Agency on Apr 7, 2026

Pope Leo XIV used part of his Palm Sunday message to castigate the United States for attempting to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power and threatening the world with mass destruction. In doing so, the “American Pope” confused the real enemy in the war.

Addressing thousands in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope claimed that God rejects the prayers of leaders who wage war. He called the Iran war "atrocious" violence that cannot be justified by faith. He further said that God doesn’t hear the prayers of people whose “hands (are) full of blood.” Does he not include Iran’s maniacal regime which has murdered Americans directly and through proxies, as well as tens of thousands of their own people? Does the Pope believe the Muslim god doesn’t hear prayers asking him to destroy Jews, Israel and the United States?

The Pope favors “diplomacy” over war, but you can’t negotiate with evil. Recall how that worked with Adolf Hitler in Munich and more recently with North Korea, which has nuclear weapons because several American presidents refused to do what President Trump is doing to Iran.

Leo said Jesus is the "King of Peace" and is deaf to those initiating armed conflict, citing the Book of Isaiah. He ignores the bloody conflicts between the Israelites and many tribes and nations God directly ordered them to kill (even children) in order to claim the Promised Land.

The Pope also suggested that no one can use God to justify war. This appeared to be a direct response to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who had prayed for "overwhelming violence" in the name of Jesus earlier in the week. He’s right about that, but would the Pope also condemn Iran’s leaders for claiming to know the will of their god? Vladimir Putin is targeting civilians in Ukraine, and Nigerian Muslims are killing Christians by the thousands. The Pope is not known for highlighting those atrocities. In his view it appears only America is doing evil things.

American presidents, beginning with George Washington, have appealed to God to justify their policies and bless America. Washington believed the revolution’s fate rested on God's favor.

Abraham Lincoln openly and privately sought Divine guidance for the nation’s survival, famously stating he knew the Lord was "on the side of the right.” His Second Inaugural Address could have been read in the churches of his day. His famous qualifying line was that "…my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.”

In announcing the D-Day invasion of France on June 6, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt closed his national radio address with a heartfelt prayer that conceded the certain cost of the operation: “Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. … Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy Kingdom.”

Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight Eisenhower prayed the invasion would lead to victory over the Germans.

Gen. George Patton, faced with bad weather leading up to that fateful day, asked God to “Grant us fair weather for battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations.”

The Pope seems to be equating war against evil regimes that murder tens of thousands of innocents with a country that is trying to stop them. Would he have preferred more negotiations with Hitler, or waiting until Iran developed nuclear weapons with the ability to strike Israel, Europe and the U.S.?

President Trump has engaged in a pre-emptive strike against an evil regime. People can pray he will succeed without the fear of having blood on their hands. Contrary to the Pope’s assertion, God is likely not plugging his ears.

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Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I've Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America" (HumanixBooks).