On May 8th, 2025, white smoke went up above the Sistine Chapel, traditionally marking the selection of a new pope. However, many were surprised when the new pope was revealed.
Pope Leo XIV, born as Robert Prevost, is the first American Pope. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and is currently 69 years old, seven years younger than Pope Francis when he was selected. Although the Pope takes pride in his nationality, he does not necessarily take pride in his president.
Since Pope Leo is an American citizen, he voted in the 2024 presidential election. Although no one is really sure who he picked, people are uncertain it was in Trump’s favor. He shared critical posts of JD Vance on social media platforms like Twitter, saying, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” The pope has also revealed his support of opening borders to immigrants and mourned over the loss of George Floyd.
And Trump’s response? He congratulated Pope Leo XIV online and at one of his rallies, contrary to the views of his political allies. On the other hand, political activist, Laura Loomer, called him a “WOKE MARXIST POPE,” and additionally claimed he’s “worse than Francis.”
In a larger sense, Donald Trump’s reelection hasn’t only affected Americans. His new policies have disrupted international relations as well. It seemed the chances of an American pope were slim to none after his actions, including posting an AI-generated photo of himself in the Pope’s clothes directly after Pope Francis’s death. This angered many Catholics around the world.
It’s almost as if the cardinals voted Pope Leo XIV to make peace in the world between America and other countries. Perhaps their idea was to sway Catholic voters away from Donald Trump and towards alternative views, restoring the political balance.
