Pope Leo has clear message for Donald Trump in first ever Easter Sunday address

Pope Leo spoke about ‘the deaths of thousands of people’ and the repercussions of ‘hatred and division that conflicts sow’ during his first Easter address at the Vatican

Pope Leo seemed to take aim at Donald Trump in his first Easter address, condemning what he described as indifference to the “thousands of people” killed in war.

With the US-Israeli war on Iran in its second month and Russia’s ongoing campaign in Ukraine, Leo acknowledged a sense of indifference “to the deaths of thousands of people […] to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow – to the economic and social consequences they produce.”

Without mentioning the wars by name, Leo quoted his predecessor, Pope Francis, who during his last public appearance from the same loggia last Easter reminded the faithful of the “great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day.”

His comments come as thousands of people have been killed across the Middle East since the US and Israel struck Iran on February 28.

Violence has continued to spread across the region, with attacks hitting Iranian targets as well as Israel, US bases and Gulf states. Israel has renewed attacks on Lebanon, launching a ground invasion on March 2 after Hezbollah responded to the February 28 killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to US-based rights group HRANA, 3,531 people have been killed since the war began, including 1,607 civilians and at least 244 children. Lebanese authorities say 1,368 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since March ⁠2, including at least 124 children.

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