Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, said Saturday that President Donald Trump has a stronger understanding of the Bible’s teaching on government than Pope Leo XIV, particularly regarding military action against Iran.
Jeffress made the remarks during an appearance on Fox News, shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the pope at the Vatican.
While describing the pope as “a good man” who was “sincere in his faith,” Jeffress argued that the pontiff was “sincerely wrong when it comes to Iran,” according to a video clip later shared online.
“It looks like President Trump has a better understanding of what the Bible teaches than the pope,” Jeffress added.
Citing Romans 13, Jeffress said government and the church have distinct biblical purposes, arguing that the role of government is to protect citizens from wrongdoing.
Jeffress also said he had visited the Oval Office with Trump and other faith leaders shortly after the conflict with Iran began, where the president warned that Iran was close to obtaining nuclear weapons capable of threatening both Israel and the United States.
The pastor’s comments came amid growing tensions between Trump and Pope Leo over the Iran conflict and broader foreign policy issues.
After Pope Leo urged prayers for peace during the conflict, Trump criticized the pontiff on Truth Social, calling him “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”
Speaking to NBC News during a flight to Algeria, Pope Leo responded directly to the criticism, saying, “I have no fear of either the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel.” He also emphasized that the Catholic Church was not attempting to dictate foreign policy and said he did not view his role as political.
Trump later posted that he did not want a pope who believed Iran should possess nuclear weapons or who opposed American military action against Venezuela.
The pope denied claims that the Vatican supported Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reiterated the Catholic Church’s longstanding opposition to nuclear weapons while continuing to advocate for peace.
Trump also criticized Pope Leo for meeting with political strategist David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, and urged the pontiff to “get his act together” and “stop catering to the Radical Left.”
Jeffress, a longtime Trump ally, is also scheduled to speak at Rededicate 250, a national prayer gathering planned for Sunday on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The event is being promoted as a nationwide day of prayer, worship, and thanksgiving connected to the Freedom 250 celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
