Pope Leo is not in favor of nuclear weapons

President Donald Trump, in a long Truth Social post calling Pope Leo XIV “WEAK on Crime,” said, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”

But the president’s claim doesn’t match what the pope has said, according to PolitiFact, saying Trump’s statement “is inaccurate and makes a ridiculous claim.”

The head of the Roman Catholic Church has repeatedly spoken out against nuclear weapons and waging war.

“Today we lift up our prayer for peace in the world, asking that nations renounce weapons and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy. … May the nuclear threat never again dictate the future of humanity,” Pope Leo said during a March 5 video message.

A March 8 post on Leo’s X account encouraged people to pray “for the roar of bombs to cease, weapons to fall silent, and space to open for dialogue, in which people's voices may be heard.”

In June 2025, the pontiff said, “The commitment to creating a safer world, free from the nuclear threat, should be pursued through respectful encounter and sincere dialogue, to build a lasting peace, based on justice, fraternity and the common good.”

During an April 12 flight to Algeria, Pope Leo reiterated his position.

When asked about Trump’s comments, he said, “I have no fear of either the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel. That’s what I believe I am called to do, what the church is called to do. … Blessed are the peacemakers is a message that the world needs to hear today.”

Crying soldier isn’t real

A recent X post appears to show a female soldier fed up with war.

“We are tired … we didn't want this and we didn't choose it. I just want to go home. I don't want this war … I want peace,” reads the text on the top of the post.

It includes video of a soldier crying and saying, through the tears, “I really, I really miss home. I miss my family every single day. But I’m still here, serving my country.”

But none of this is real, according to PolitiFact. The video was created using artificial intelligence, or AI.

This clip highlights some of the inconsistencies of AI-produced videos. The stars on the soldier’s American flag patch seem to change in shape and number, while a mole on the woman’s neck appears and disappears throughout the video.

The fake video has been posted on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, while one X post of the clip received more than 4 million views.

Truss didn’t blame ‘transgender mafia’

A truck transporting 413,793 Kit Kat chocolate bars in Europe is missing after officials believe thieves stole the vehicle and the candy bars before it reached its final destination in Poland, according to Reuters.

But a recent post appears to have some more information.

“(Former British Prime Minister) Liz Truss suggests ‘underground transgender mafia’ may be responsible for Italian chocolate heist that saw over 12 tonnes of KitKats stolen,” read a March 30 X post, which included a screenshot of Truss.

But this claim is fake, Reuters said. It was posted by an account that describes itself as producing satire.

It appeared that many people thought the post was real based on comments such as “Truss is really off her rocker.”

The screenshot was taken from an episode of Truss’ YouTube program “The Liz Truss Show.”

The chocolate theft, however, is not satire. Nestle, the company that makes Kit Kat, said in a statement that the bars are traceable by a unique batch code.

“Whilst we appreciate the criminals' exceptional taste, the fact remains that ⁠cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” the statement said.

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• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.