Pope Leo on Monday responded to President Trump's sharp criticism a day earlier of the leader of the Catholic Church and his opposition to the U.S. war or Iran, saying he's not afraid of the Trump administration.

"I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do," Leo told NBC News while on the papal plane en route to Algeria. 

"We are not politicians. We don't deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the gospel, as a peacemaker. "

The American-born pope also said his stance is not a direct attack against Trump. Leo earlier this month said without naming specific world leaders that the Iran war and other conflicts around the world are driven by a “delusion of omnipotence.” 

Leo added Sunday: “I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.'

“I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible."

In a lengthy Truth Social post Sunday evening, Trump said in part, “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. ... “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”