Pope Leo Urges Journalists to Avoid Propaganda in War Reporting

In a poignant address to Italy’s state-run Channel 2 (TG2) marking the network’s 50th anniversary, Pope Leo delivered a powerful message on journalistic integrity during wartime that clearly resonated beyond Italian borders.

The American-born pontiff warned journalists to guard against turning information “into propaganda,” particularly “in the circumstances of war, such as those we are currently experiencing.” His remarks, swiftly translated from Italian into English by the Vatican, signaled a message intended for media professionals worldwide, especially those in countries engaged in current conflicts.

“It is up to you to show the suffering that war always brings to populations; to show the face of war and tell it through the eyes of the victims so as not to turn it into a video game,” the Pope stated. While acknowledging the challenge of conveying such nuanced reporting “in the few minutes of a newscast,” he emphasized that “here lies the challenge.”

Pope Leo’s comments come at a time when American media faces significant pressure from the Trump administration, including criticism from President Trump himself and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, for their coverage of the war in Iran. Though typically avoiding direct confrontation with the Trump administration, observers in Rome interpreted the Pope’s warning against transforming war “into a video game” as tacit support for Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and others who have criticized the White House’s approach to conflict portrayal.

The Pope praised TG2 for its longstanding commitment to “pluralism of information sources” and “rejection of ideological preconceptions,” values he suggested are increasingly vital in today’s media landscape. “We all know how difficult it is to be surprised by the facts, encounters, gazes, and voices of others,” he acknowledged, noting the temptation to “seek, see, and listen only to what confirms one’s own opinions.”

The Augustinian pontiff highlighted the value of diverse cultural perspectives coexisting within media organizations. “This diversity, especially when animated by a spirit of friendship, has been an added value to your identity, a source of richness, an example of dialogue,” he said, contrasting this approach with today’s media environment “dominated by polarization, ideological closed-mindedness and slogans that prevent us from seeing and understanding the complexity of reality.”

Addressing technological evolution in journalism, Pope Leo spoke about the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, emphasizing that “no technological innovation can replace creativity, critical discernment, and freedom of thought.” Turning to artificial intelligence, he stressed “the need to regulate communication according to the human paradigm and not the technological one,” underscoring the importance of distinguishing “between the means and the ends.”

Separately, the Vatican revealed that Pope Leo received a phone call from Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine. During their conversation, Abbas expressed concern about “the alarming developments in the conflict in the Middle East and the living conditions of the Palestinian people.”

The focus on Iran has largely overshadowed the dire humanitarian crisis facing 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza, with more than a million living in tents or makeshift homes, as well as the plight of 3.44 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, many of whom face settler attacks and annexation threats.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, while Israeli forces have killed at least 466 Palestinians in Gaza since the October ceasefire. Al Jazeera reports that official Israeli figures show at least 45 Israelis, including both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations during the same period.

In his call with Abbas, Pope Leo “reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to achieving peace through political and diplomatic dialogue, as well as through full respect for international law,” highlighting the Vatican’s continued engagement in Middle East peace efforts.