Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday after photos surfaced showing the Chicago-born pontiff hosting Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson at the Vatican.

“Someone should explain to the pope that the mayor of Chicago is useless,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform.

The pointed remark came as Trump used the occasion to also reiterate his firm stance on Iran, stating once again that the Islamic Republic “cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

The meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Mayor Johnson has drawn attention due to ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the Vatican. For months, the two sides have clashed over the Pope’s repeated criticism of the administration’s strict immigration policies and its broader foreign policy approach.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, has not publicly responded to Trump’s latest comments. The Vatican has described the meeting with Mayor Johnson as a courtesy visit focused on issues affecting Chicago’s Catholic community.

Trump’s sharp rebuke highlights the continued friction between the president and the Catholic Church leader, despite the Pope’s U.S. origins. The exchange underscores deep divisions over immigration, urban governance, and international affairs.