The Pope and President Tangle

In April, the Holy Father and the president of the United States traded barbs. The proximate cause was Leo’s criticism of the Israeli and American attacks on Iran. The temperature rose as Trump issued annihilationist threats, stating that America would use its vast military power to ­obliterate Persian civilization: “A whole civilization will die ­tonight.” This and other wild statements followed in the train of Pete Hegseth’s regular recourse to ­Rambo-style braggadocio.