Pope Leo XIV on Monday delivered a sharp rebuke to world leaders, accusing them of 'feeding' wars while millions go hungry. Speaking at the Rome headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP), the pontiff said global priorities are badly skewed and urged governments to boost spending on combating hunger rather than limiting food aid based on geopolitical concerns.
Pope: 'Conflicts are fed more readily than people'
“Conflicts are ‘fed’ more readily than people are nourished,” the first US pope said during his visit to the WFP. “This reality reflects not only operational shortcomings but also a fundamental imbalance in political and moral priorities.” Leo, who has become increasingly outspoken on political issues in recent months, did not name any specific leaders but his comments came amid ongoing tensions over US funding cuts to the agency.
The WFP, the largest provider of food aid worldwide, relies heavily on donations, with the United States as its biggest donor. Last week, the US announced a new $800 million contribution, following earlier cuts by President Donald Trump that more than halved planned US funding. The pope lamented that humanitarian crises are being relegated to a “secondary place among international priorities.”
Food security as a fundamental right
Leo emphasized that access to food is “a fundamental human right grounded in the dignity of every person.” He argued that alleviating hunger not only aids those in need but also addresses underlying causes of geopolitical instability. “Food security is an essential component of global and integral security,” the pope said.
The pope urged countries to stop allocating resources disproportionately toward national security, economic growth and domestic stability while disregarding the link between these issues and multilateral cooperation. “Countries have increasingly allocated their resources toward national security, economic growth and domestic stability, disregarding the close link between these issues and multilateral cooperation,” he stated.
WFP’s massive reach amid funding challenges
The WFP, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, provided 15.6 billion daily rations to 121 million people in 2025, funded by $6.5 billion in private donations, according to the agency. Leo was welcomed to the WFP by Cindy McCain, who resigned as director earlier this year for health reasons. The pope’s visit underscored the ongoing struggle to secure adequate funding for global food aid, especially as conflicts and climate change drive up demand.
