Pope Leo has reprimanded U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for using Christian Scripture to justify waging war and slaughtering people. During a Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said God refuses the prayers of leaders who have “hands full of blood.”

Meanwhile, leaders of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus have condemned Hegseth for personally intervening to block the promotion of four Army officers to become one-star generals. Two of the four officers denied promotions are Black, and two are women; the remaining officers on track for promotions are overwhelmingly white men.