US President Donald Trump refused to back down from his row with Pope Leo XIV, who has spoken out against the war in Iran.

Trump posted — and later removed — an AI image of himself as a Jesus-like figure. He also said Leo is “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” telling reporters on Monday that he would not apologize, and claimed the image depicted him as a “doctor.”

The posts drew condemnation from Trump-friendly Catholic bishops and some Christian MAGA commentators; one described it as “gross blasphemy.”

Leo has recently sharpened his criticism of what he described as “absurd and inhuman violence” unfolding in the Middle East, telling reporters Monday that he had “no fear of the Trump administration.”