Pope Leo, in Algeria, blasts 'neocolonial' conflicts after Trump criticism

Pope Leo blasted violations of international law by "neocolonial" world powers in a forceful speech on Monday (April 13) during an Africa tour, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump's direct attack on the leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church.

Leo is travelling to Africa "as a witness to the peace and hope that the world so ardently desires," he told political leaders in Algeria, his first stop on a whirlwind four-nation trip.

"Africa knows all too well that people and organizations that dominate others destroy the world," the pope said.

Leo, originally from Chicago, did not single out specific countries for criticism, but he has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war in recent weeks and decried the "madness of war" in a peace appeal on Saturday (April 11).

Trump, in an apparent response to the pope's statements about the conflict and the White House's hard-line immigration policies, said late on Sunday (April 12) that Leo was "terrible," in remarks that drew immediate rebuke from U.S. believers.

-Antonio Denti, Yesim Dikmen/Reuters