Donald Trump has launched a fresh broadside at Pope Leo XIV as his top diplomat prepares to head to Rome to try to ease tensions following an earlier spat.
The US president accused the pontiff of “endangering” Catholics and others by claiming he was content with Iran getting a nuclear weapon.
The first US-born pope has not said this, but has been critical of the Middle East conflict and called for peace, while condemning the use of religion to justify war.
The head of the Catholic Church also previously warned the world is being “ravaged by a handful of tyrants”, and branded Mr Trump’s threat to wipe out Iranian civilisation “truly unacceptable”.
In turn, Mr Trump declared he was “not a fan of Pope Leo”, accusing him of being “weak” and pandering to the “radical left”.
The row was inflamed further after the president posted an image on social media that portrayed him as Jesus Christ.
It was subsequently deleted following a backlash.
In his latest criticism, Mr Trump told conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt: “The Pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
“And I don’t think that’s very good. I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”
He added: “But I guess if it’s up to the Pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
His comments came on the eve of secretary of state Marco Rubio, himself a Catholic, travelling to the Vatican, where he will meet Pope Leo.
He is also due to hold talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, an erstwhile ally of Mr Trump who took issue with his remarks about the Pope.
It led Mr Trump to round on her as part of his wider criticism of Nato over what he sees as a lack of support for the Iran war.