Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, delivered a sharp rebuke Tuesday, condemning anti-immigrant policies and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s aggressive rhetoric.

Speaking to reporters in Italian outside Castel Gandolfo, Leo called Hegseth’s language “worrying,” noting its role in escalating global tensions.

"This way of speaking is worrying, because it shows each time an increase in tensions — this vocabulary, even shifting from ‘Minister of Defense’ to ‘Minister of War,'" Leo said, referencing President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War.

"Let’s hope it is only a way of speaking. Certainly, they have a style of government where they want to show strength, to put pressure, and we hope it works, but that there will not be war. One must always work for peace."

Hegseth, addressing military leaders in Virginia on Sept. 30, urged readiness for "war, not defense," advocating "overwhelming and punishing violence" to "intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill" enemies.

Pope Leo also criticized inconsistent pro-life stances, implicitly targeting Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

"Someone who says, ‘I am against abortion,’ but says, ‘I am in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life," he said in English. "Someone who says that, ‘I am against abortion, but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life."

Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, rejected claims of inhumane immigration policies.

The pope’s remarks followed controversy over Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich’s plan to honor retiring Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin, a Catholic whose abortion stance drew conservative ire.

"I’m not terribly familiar with the particular case," Leo said. “I think that it’s very important to look at the overall work that a senator has done during, if I’m not mistaken, 40 years of service in the United States Senate."

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