After Pope's statement, White House defends prayer for US troops

(Patria) - The White House defended prayer for US troops engaged in the war in Iran after Pope Leo XIV warned that God rejects the prayers of "those who wage war," AFP reported.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with our military leaders or the President calling on the American people to pray for our service members and those serving our country abroad," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters in response to a question about the Pope's comments.

As the war in the Middle East enters its second month, Pope Leo said during his Palm Sunday sermon: "This is our God... the God who rejects war... who does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war."

Leo XIV, the first Pope born in the United States, has repeatedly condemned war and called for dialogue. However, the seventy-year-old Pope has been cautious in his statements regarding the US-Iran war that began on February 28, refraining from naming any party in his condemnations and calls for peace.

Leavitt and other members of the Trump administration have conspicuously displayed their Christian faith. At the beginning of the press conference, she said her team had just finished "a little prayer out loud" before the briefing began.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has also used quasi-religious language to frame the conflict with Iran, offering a prayer last week at the Pentagon in which he said: "May every bullet find its mark against the enemy of justice and our great nation."

In response to the Pope's comments, Leavitt, who is Catholic, as are Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said that the US was founded on Judeo-Christian values.

Leaders and troops have prayed "during the most turbulent times in our nation's history, and if you talk to many service members, they will tell you they appreciate the prayers," she added. "In fact, I think it's a very noble thing."

Last week, the Pope called for a ceasefire in the Middle East, saying that more than a million people had been forced to leave their homes and urging the warring parties to engage in dialogue.