Pope Leo Criticizes War Spending During Visit to UN Food Programme

Pope Leo visited the U.S.-supported United Nations World Food Programme headquarters in Rome on June 22, 2026 ^[1], to address the agency's annual executive board session.

The visit underscores the growing tension between global military spending and humanitarian needs. By visiting the headquarters, the pontiff aimed to bring international attention to the disparity between the funding of armed conflicts and the funding of hunger relief.

During the event, the pontiff met with agency staff and their families. He used the platform to criticize the priorities of global governance, specifically targeting the decision to fund weaponry over food security. Pope Leo said that world leaders are "feeding" wars instead of the hungry ^[2].

The address occurred during the WFP's executive board session, where the agency coordinates its global operations to combat food insecurity. The pontiff emphasized that the persistence of global hunger is not a failure of resources, but a failure of political will, a gap he believes is widened by the prioritization of war.

While some reports refer to him as Pope Leo ^[2], others identify him as Pope Leo XIV ^[3]. Despite the naming variation, the core message of the visit remained a call for a moral shift in how nations allocate their wealth. He urged the board and the international community to redirect the focus toward those facing starvation.

The visit concluded with direct engagement with the employees who execute the WFP's field operations. The pontiff praised the work of the staff while reiterating that their efforts are hampered by the instability caused by ongoing global conflicts ^[2].