President Trump sent his well wishes to the new American Pope, Robert Prevost — even though the new pontiff has been critical of the president, his administration and the White House’s treatment of migrants.
Prevost, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, has shared several highly critical posts about Trump and his immigration policies on X.
One scathing post he retweeted read: “There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.”
The Chicago-born cardinal’s most recent post questioned whether Trump and his administration “see the suffering” caused by their policies.
“As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [laughing crying emoji] Feds’ illicit deportation of a U.S. resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadoran himself, no-DC Aux+Evelio asks, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscious not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?” the retweeted post read.
He has previously retweeted posts about Trump’s “bad hombres” line fueling racism and messages in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
The new pope also shared an op-ed from the National Catholic Reporter titled: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” following comments the vice president made on Fox News in February.
During the interview, Vance said, “There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that."
His comments drew ire from many Christians — including the new Catholic Pope, who shared an op-ed claiming Vance was “wrong.”
Despite his criticisms of Trump, the president expressed his excitement and hopes to meet the new Pope.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Political world reacts
Politicians quickly started paying homage to the first American pope. Former President Joe Biden, a Catholic, expressed his well wishes to the new pope, writing on X: “Habemus papam - May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois. Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success.”
“Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote on X. “Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also congratulated Pope Leo XIV on the “historic” accomplishment.
“A historic moment as we witness the first American leading the Catholic Church. Hailing from Chicago, Pope Leox XIV ushers in a new chapter that I join those in our state welcoming in at a time when we need compassion, unity, and peace,” he wrote on X.
Vance shared his congratulations to the new pontiff on X — despite the Pope’s previous criticism of him.
“Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!” Vance wrote.
Former President Barack Obama praised Pope Leo XIV, writing on X, “Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also offered congratulations to Pope Leo XIV.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the 267th successor to Saint Peter. This is a moment of profound significance for the Catholic Church, offering renewed hope and continuity amid the 2025 Jubilee Year to over a billion faithful worldwide,” he said in a statement.
Rubio continued: “The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility. Jeanette and I are united in prayer for His Holiness, may the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.”
However, not everybody in the political world was thrilled.
Far-right activist Laura Loomer jumped to Trump’s defense on the pope’s previous cricitism, writing, “The new Pope @drprevost supports illegal aliens and open borders. He retweeted tweets in support of ‘dreamers’ aka illegals and attacked President Trump’s use of the phrase “bad hombres” to describe violent illegal aliens. He thinks it’s a ‘racist’ phrase.”
Prevost, 69, who holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, also serves as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where nearly 40 percent of the world’s Catholics reside. The dual-citizen spent years in Peru, first as a missionary before becoming an archbishop.
Faithful Catholics cheered in the Vatican square, waved flags from countless countries in celebration as the news was shared.
While many observers felt following the death of Argentine Pope Francis that cardinals would elect a European successor, the 69-year-old Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishop from Chicago, the largest Archdiocese in North America, was likely to be the top candidate from the Americas.
Pope Leo XIV was also favored by Pope Francis and was believed to be considered the main “Bergoglian” candidate, as an ally of the late head of the Vatican.
