Trump welcomes new American-born pope and says he can’t wait to meet him – despite Leo XIV once blasting Vance
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 his 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 Prevost 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 retweet 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 US 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 post read.
The new pope also previously 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, his administration and policies, the president still sent his well wishes to 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.
Far-right activist Laura Loomer jumped to Trump’s defense following the news of the new pope, slamming him on X and 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.
He became the newly appointed leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday after more than two-thirds of the cardinals voted for him to succeed the late Francis.
Faithful Catholics cheered in the Vatican square, waving flags from countless countries in celebration as the news was shared.
