US President Donald Trump on Saturday branded Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson as “useless” while declaring that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons, posting the remarks on his Truth Social platform one day after Johnson met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
Chicago mayor’s Vatican audience
Johnson had traveled to Rome for a multi-faith prayer ceremony with the newly elected pontiff, sharing photographs of the encounter on the social media platform X on Friday. The mayor described the experience as “one of the most awe-inspiring and humbling” of his life, posting that “it was an honor to share time with a magnificent human” alongside images from the Holy See.
Presidential broadside
The Republican president linked his criticism of the Democratic mayor to US foreign policy in a brief social media statement posted Saturday. “Someone should explain to the Pope that the Mayor of Chicago is useless, and that Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, offering no further explanation for the juxtaposition of the two issues.
Trump’s remarks came amid ongoing tensions between his administration and Democratic-led cities over federal funding and immigration enforcement policies. Johnson, who took office in 2023, has faced mounting scrutiny over the city’s handling of migrant arrivals and public safety concerns.