The strongest version of this narrative presents a clear tension between political power and religious moral authority. Pope Leo XIV’s condemnation of war is framed as a principled stance rooted in Catholic doctrine, particularly the rejection of indiscriminate violence and the instrumentalization of faith to justify conflict. The Church’s position is reinforced by the Catechism and the statements of U.S. Cardinals, who explicitly challenge the moral legitimacy of the war in Iran. President Trum...