How Trump Changed The Narrative On Pope Leo’s Trip To Africa

(Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP via Getty Images)

Papal trips are usually not much followed, except for the end, when a Pope, during an in-flight press conference, talks to journalists who accompany him. This time, Pope Leo XIV’s journey to Africa attracted immediate attention because of the polemic sparked by President Donald Trump’s remarks about the first North American Pope, who is “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy.”

The Bishop of Rome was already on the plane at the beginning of the trip when he reacted, saying he had “no fear” of the Trump administration. His longest journey to date, a one-and-a-half-week-long journey, comprising four African states, concluded on 23 April. (RELATED: ‘I Have No Fear’: Pope Leo Responds To Trump’s Biggest Attack Yet)

The focus of most of mass media was not so much on Africa, and many tried to read the papal speeches during the apostolic trip through this Trump-Pope lens. Leo XIV, like his recent predecessors, appealed to peace and justice and condemned war, corruption, and exploitation. The pontiff then spoke about the short-sighted misinterpretation, telling journalists it was “not my interest” to debate Trump.

The speeches and homilies are typically prepared weeks ahead and reflect primarily the local challenges and context.

“Touring Africa, Pope Leo Raised His Voice, but Didn’t Like The Echo,” The New York Times wrote, saying that Leo used “the most forthright comments since becoming pope last year, but grew uncomfortable at how that criticism was interpreted.”

French daily Le Monde ran a comment entitled “The Vatican is clearly in........

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