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Topics: Pope Leo, Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Mia Williams
Topics: Pope Leo, Donald Trump, Politics, US News
The newly-elected Pope Leo has been vocal about his views regarding Donald Trump and JD Vance, despite being the first ever American pope.
It was announced just yesterday (8 May) that Robert Francis Prevost is the new head of the Catholic Church, and will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
And while the newly-elected Pope is the first-ever to be from the US, it seems his politics don't quite align with that of president Trump's.
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Upon learning of the news, Trump posted: "To have the pope from the United States of America, that's a great honour."
He also noted that the two had already called.
But Pope Leo has actually been a critic of Trump in previous years, which the president seemingly looked past during his congratulations.
In February, the new pontiff re-posted an article titled 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.'
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He made his feelings towards the republican duo clear in April too, after Trump's meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, about his hopes to deport and jail US citizens abroad.
Pope Leo previously re-posted a comment that included: "Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed?"
He is predicted to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Pope Francis, with a big focus of his work being the poor and immigrants.
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Francis previously called some of Trump's policies a 'disgrace', so it will interesting to see how the American pope navigates this relationship.
Republicans across the US reacted to the news, as one posted on X saying: "He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis."
Another added: "Pope Leo XIV: Registered Chicago Republican and pro-life warrior OR Open borders globalist installed to counter Trump?"
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But vice president JD Vance, who happens to be a catholic, spoke out in favour of the result of the conclave.
"May God bless him!" he wrote on X.
While the new pope and Trump have their differences, it seems there are some things they agree on.
The Catholic Church remains firm in their position on abortion, which is the same as that of the Trump administration.
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But Pope Leo XIV is also hugely keen on combatting climate change, which we know is not at the top of the list of Trump's priorities.
In fact, the president removed the US from the Paris Climate Agreement that fights global warming.
It's reported that the new leader ‘has chosen a name widely associated with the social justice legacy of Pope Leo XIII, who was pontiff at a time of epic upheaval in the world, the time of the industrial revolution, the beginning of Marxism, and widespread immigration'.
When it comes to LGBTQ+ views, in 2012 he expressed criticism of entertainment media that had 'sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel', which included the 'homosexual lifestyle' and 'alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children'. Whether those views have changed overtime is yet to be seen.
Pope Leo was formerly the prior general of the Order of St. Augustine, which was a community of friars who were dedicated to poverty, service and evangelisation.
It is believed he shares similar views on the matter to Pope Francis as he drew his clergy's attention to his teachings on poverty.
Old tweets from the pope about some of Donald Trump's actions have resurfaced and it's safe to say the new pope isn't Trump's number one fan.
One damning post he reshared from Cardinal Blase J. Cupich in 2018 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.”
In 2023, Pope Leo told Vatican News: “On several occasions we have seen that their point of view is an enrichment." The role of women in the Church is something people will be looking out for with Pope Leo as he supported his predecessor’s devision to allow women to join the Dicastery for Bishops for the first time.
Speaking about climate change last year, the newly named pope has said it was time to make moves ‘from words to action’.