The Pope vs. Washington — Again

Pope Leo XIV said it plainly aboard the papal plane en route to Madrid on June 6, according to NPR: the war in Iran is NOT a just war. "There is no just war there," he told journalists.

Leo has been making repeated appeals for peace since the Iran conflict began in February. His statement came as he traveled to a NATO ally that has openly clashed with the Trump administration over the same war.

In April, Vice President JD Vance invoked the centuries-old Catholic doctrine of just war theory to justify the conflict. Vance also told Leo to "be careful" when talking theology. President Trump later called the pope "weak" on war in a Truth Social post, according to NPR.

Leo didn't back down. He pointed to his encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas," which argues that just war theory is "now outdated" — that it was developed in an era before modern weapons and the current human capacity for mass destruction. The encyclical urges "dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness" instead.

What He Praised — And Why It Matters

At a reception with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the royal palace in Madrid, Leo praised Spain's "active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples" and its "faithful adherence to international law and multilateralism," according to BBC.

That's a direct compliment to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a socialist who has publicly clashed with Trump over Iran and with Israel over Gaza. The BBC noted that the pope's focus on migrants and peace "could be seen as support for the socialist prime minister."

The pope praising a country's stated foreign policy positions is not the same as endorsing a political party. Leo praised Spain's commitment to taking in migrants — a longstanding Catholic position held under left-wing and right-wing governments for decades.

Leo knows who's running Spain. He also knows Spain's government disagrees with Rome on significant moral questions including LGBT policies, abortion access, and secular education.

Ukraine, Lebanon — The Full Picture

Leo also expressed worry about Ukraine following Putin's refusal to meet with President Zelenskyy, according to NPR.

"We must really push to reach an end to the conflict," Leo said, adding: "Already, four years and a half have passed. We must reach a solution."

He acknowledged U.S. efforts to mediate while making clear he wants results, not just process.

Leo also said he's in contact with religious leaders in Lebanon, whom he met during a November visit, describing the situation there as "very complex" as Israel continues military operations in the region.

What the Mainstream Coverage Is Missing

Left-leaning outlets — AP, BBC, NPR — all covered this trip with a frame emphasizing Pope vs. Trump. That's accurate but incomplete.

Spain is not a religious country anymore. Church attendance has collapsed. The Spanish government has pushed hard on LGBT policies, abortion access, and secular education — all in direct conflict with Catholic teaching. Leo is walking into a country where his own institution's influence has dramatically eroded, and where the government he just praised disagrees with Rome on major moral questions.

The pope's meeting with abuse victims inside the Spanish Church also deserves closer attention. Leo's acknowledgment of the Church's own failures — and King Felipe's public praise of Leo's "clarity and firmness" on that issue, per BBC — may prove more consequential for the institution long-term than any geopolitical statement.

The cardinal consistory Leo has scheduled for June 26-27 at the Vatican will put just war theory formally on the Church's agenda. This could amount to a doctrinal shift in how the Church engages with international conflict going forward.

What This Week Actually Means

Leo's Spain visit runs six days. He'll address the Spanish parliament — unprecedented for a pope. He'll meet migrants, abuse survivors, and an estimated 400,000 young Catholics expected at one event, according to BBC.

A pope who calls out an unjust war, meets abuse victims, and challenges a secular government that happens to agree with him on immigration — while disagreeing with it on core moral issues — is a complicated figure. He doesn't fit cleanly into anyone's team.

Leo XIV is not a pope who stays quiet when he has something to say. Washington and Madrid are listening. Whether anyone actually changes course remains to be seen.