Pope Leo makes brutal comment to pro-life Americans during subtle dig at Trump

Pope Leo XIV has issued a strong message against pro-life Americans who support Donald Trump's immigration policies.

The religious leader, 70, born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected as the 267th pontiff and took on the role of head of the Catholic Church back in May following the death of Pope Francis.

He made headlines around the world for being the first North American to be elected to the role and has already called for greater action on climate change, as well as making appeals for peace in Ukraine and Gaza.

And now, he's condemned the US President's immigration policies with a brutal statement, aiming particularly at pro-life Republicans.

The Pope told reporters on Tuesday (30 September): "Someone who says 'I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States', I don't know if that's pro-life."

Of course, it's safe to assume the religious leader himself is pro-life, as the Catholic church’s position is that life is sacred from conception until natural death.

The Pope issued rare political comments on Tuesday (Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

So, he's effectively questioning whether Republican views line up with those of the church, which is a huge blow to Trump and fellow conservatives.

Ever since his second inauguration back in January, the Republican leader announced his mission is to halt 'all illegal entry into the country' and deport millions of 'illegal aliens'.

During the same interview, the Pope also hit out at those who believe in the death penalty - again, something that the US president is pushing for across the US.

Pope Leo said: "Someone who says 'I'm against abortion' but is in favour of the death penalty is not really pro-life."

Last week, Trump introduced the death penalty in Washington D.C, as part of his crackdown on crime in the US capital to 'deter and punish the most heinous crimes in our Nation’s capital'.

As he signed the proclamation in front of press in the White House, Trump said: “Capital punishment, capital city."

He appeared to take aim at both Trump's immigration policies and views on the death penalty (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The order 'directs these Federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in all appropriate cases in the District of Columbia where the evidence and applicable facts justify such a sentence'.

It also orders them to 'pursue Federal jurisdiction to the maximum extent practicable for death-penalty-eligible crimes in Washington, D.C'.

As he signed the proclamation in front of press in the White House, Trump said: “Capital punishment, capital city."

The order in question 'directs these Federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in all appropriate cases in the District of Columbia where the evidence and applicable facts justify such a sentence'.

He said: "We can’t allow that to happen. People come in from Iowa to look at the Lincoln Memorial, and they end up getting killed. Doesn’t happen anymore.

“It’s not going to happen. And if it does happen, it’s the death penalty for the person that did it.”