ToplinePope Leo XIV said during a visit to Cameroon on Wednesday that the commandment, “love your neighbor as yourself” applies to international relations, delivering the remark as he has traded comments with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance about foreign policy amid the Iran war.Pope Leo delivered a speech in Cameroon on Wednesday.Photo by Matteo Pernaselci - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty ImagesKey FactsThe Pope said in his address that, “To govern means to love one’s own country as well as neighboring countries; the commandment ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ is equally applicable to international relations!”The Pope added that peace is “everyone’s responsibility, beginning with civil authorities,” saying that governing a country means to listen to citizens, “valuing their intelligence and their ability to help build lasting solutions to problems.”Pope Leo did not name the U.S. or anyone in the Trump administration during his speech, which came as Cameroon navigates an ongoing war between government and separatist forces.What Did Vance Say About The Pope This Week?Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix on Tuesday, Vance pushed back against the Pope’s recent scrutiny of U.S. foreign policy and the Iran war. “How can you say that God was never on the side of those who wield the sword?” the Vice President asked, adding, “There are certainly things the pope has said I disagree with.” Vance said it was important for Pope Leo “to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”TangentTrump reposted an AI photo with Jesus Christ on Wednesday, days after he was blasted for posting a photo that depicted him as Christ healing a sick man.Key BackgroundThe feud between the White House and the Vatican began after the Pope criticized Trump’s threats against Iran. The president threatened to target civilian infrastructure in the country earlier this month and said "a whole civilization will die tonight” before a ceasefire agreement was reached. Pope Leo said Trump’s threat was "truly unacceptable,” catching Trump’s attention days later as the president accused the Pope of being "WEAK on Crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy.” This week, the Pope said he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and a “moral duty” to speak out against war. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ issued a statement Wednesday defending the Pope, saying his criticisms of war are rooted in a “thousand-year tradition” of church teachings that war is only legitimate “in self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed.”Further ReadingU.S. Bishops Rebuff JD Vance After He Says Pope Should ‘Be Careful’ Talking About Theology (Forbes)Mike Johnson Says He Convinced Trump To Remove Jesus Post (Forbes)Trump Posts AI Photo With Jesus—Days After He Was Slammed For ‘Blasphemy’ (Forbes)