Well, it seems the Pope is backing away from some of his rhetoric against the 'image'...

"Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that remarks he made this week in which he said the "world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants" were not directed at President Donald Trump, a report said.

The pope, speaking onboard a flight to Angola during his 10-day Africa tour, said reporting about his comments "has not been ‌accurate in all its aspects" and his speech "was ⁠prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting," according to Reuters.

The news outlet cited the pope as saying his comments were not aimed at Trump.

"As it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate the president, which is not in my interest at all," the pope reportedly said.

Trump last Sunday accused Pope Leo XIV of being "terrible" on foreign policy as the pontiff has criticized the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

"He talks about 'fear' of the Trump Administration, but doesn?t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

"I don?t want a Pope who thinks it?s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon," he continued.

During a speech in Cameroon on Thursday, the pope said, "We must make a decisive change of course ? a true conversion ? that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity."

"The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters!" he added.
"Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth," the pope also said. ".... https://www.foxnews.com/world/pope-leo-says-remarks-world-ravaged-handful-tyrants-aimed-trump-report

For those who have been following some of the former pope's "troubling" speeches over the last 30 or so years, they can see a pattern developing.
Pope Benedict was rather "famous" for doing this kind of thing. Say something that hits the "tender spot" of another power that arouses their ire, then letting his associates and the press fill the news with messages that "the pope didn't mean it that way" rhetoric.

Now we see Pope Leo doing the same -- on several "controversial" subjects.

This is actually a very effective thing -- it stirs people up to start "dialoguing" about the situation, expressing their fears, and bringing it to the forefront. Once it's on people's minds the Pope can downplay the real meaning and pacify the people into dismissing the issue as not really that serious, they've simply misunderstood, it doesn't really mean what it actually does mean.