Pope Leo arrived in Angola on Saturday (April 18), the third stop on a four-country Africa tour that has seen the U.S.-born pontiff strike a more forceful tone on war, corruption and the exploitation of the continent’s resources.

Welcomed by church leaders and government officials at Luanda’s airport after flying in from Cameroon, Leo is due to meet President João Lourenço later in the day and deliver an address to political and civic leaders in the oil-rich country.

Pope Leo sought to downplay his feud with U.S. President Donald Trump saying reporting about comments he has made so far during his Africa tour "has not been accurate in all its aspects."

Speaking to reporters in English aboard his flight to Angola for the third leg of his ambitious 10-day Africa tour, the first U.S. pope said comments he made two days earlier in Cameroon decrying that the world was being "ravaged by a handful of tyrants" were not aimed at Trump.

That speech, said Leo, "was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LUANDA, ANGOLA (APRIL 18, 2026) (TPA ANGOLA - Access all)

1. PAPAL PLANE ARRIVING AT AIRPORT

2. AERIAL SHOT OF PAPAL PLANE ON THE TARMAC

3. VARIOUS OF PAPAL PLANE DRIVING ON THE TARMAC

4. VATICAN FLAG AND ANGOLAN FLAG ON AEROPLANE

5. DRONE SHOWING LUANDA AIRPORT / PAPAL PLANE ON TARMAC / PEOPLE WAITING TO RECEIVE THE POPE

6. ANGOLAN OFFICIALS WALKING TOWARDS PAPAL PLANE

7. CARDINALS WAITING FOR POPE LEO TO DISEMBARK

8. PAPAL PLANE

9. PAPAL PLANE DOOR OPENING

10. POPE LEO EMERGING OUT OF PLANE / WALKING DOWN

11. POPE LEO WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS

12. TWO YOUNG GIRLS WELCOMING POPE LEO

13. VARIOUS OF POPE LEO AND ANGOLAN PRESIDENT JOAO LOURENCO WALKING ON RED CARPET

14. POPE LEO AND LOURENCO STANDING ON PODIUM IN FRONT OF GUARD OF HONOUR

15. POPE LEO AND LOURENCO STANDING ON PODIUM DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM

16. POPE LEO WALKING PAST GUARD OF HONOUR

17. POPE LEO GREETING DIGNITARIES

18. POPE LEO GREETING CARDINALS

19. SIGN ON BUILDING WRITTEN (English/Portuguese): “Welcome to Angola Pope Leo XIV” / PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THE AIRPORT BUILDING

20. CROWDS STANDING AROUND AIRPORT BUILDING

21. POPE MOBILE WAITING FOR THE POPE

22. POPE LEO WALKING TOWARDS THE MOBILE AND GIVING IN

23. VARIOUS OF POPE LEO INSIDE MOBILE DRIVING OFF

24. VARIOUS OF POPE WAVING AT CROWDS AS MOBILE DRIVES ALONG THE ROAD

IN AIR (APRIL 18, 2026) (REUTERS - Access All)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) POPE LEO ARRIVING AND SAYING:

“Good morning, everyone, good afternoon already. Hope you had a good time in Cameroon.”

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) POPE LEO SAYING:

“At the same time, there’s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of these aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the President of the United States made some comments about myself. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said. Just one little example: the talk that I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a couple of days ago was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting. And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate, again, the president, which is not in my interest at all. So, we go on the journey, we continue proclaiming the Gospel message. The texts of the Gospels that we have been using for the liturgies give a number of different fantastic, beautiful aspects of what it’s about to be Christian, of what it’s about to follow Christ, of what it’s about to promote fraternity and brotherhood, trusting in the Lord, but also looking for ways to promote justice in our world, to promote peace in our world. With that note, I’m very happy to greet all of you, and thank you for the work that you’re doing. I hope that the Lord will continue to bless all of us on this trip.“

3. POPE HANDING OVER MICROPHONE

4. MEDIA

5. POPE LEAVING