Unexpected Allies: Trump’s Reaction to Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Election

St. Peter's Basilica dome with statues and clouds.

America makes religious history with the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, while President Trump celebrates the honor despite their past disagreements on immigration policies.

Quick Takes

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s history.
President Trump congratulated the new pope on Truth Social, calling it “a Great Honor for our Country” despite their previous disagreements on immigration policy.
Pope Leo XIV, known as a moderate who was close to Pope Francis, has a history of criticizing Trump and Vance’s immigration policies.
The 69-year-old Augustinian, with experience as a missionary in Peru, becomes the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church.

Historic Election of First American Pope

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago made history when he was elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church and the first American ever to hold the position. The 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955, and addressed the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after the conclave at The Vatican. His election represents a significant shift in Church leadership, bringing an American perspective to the papacy for the first time in its two-thousand-year history.

Pope Leo XIV’s election comes at a time of global religious and political tensions. Known as a moderate who was close to Pope Francis, the new pontiff brings extensive experience as a missionary in Peru to his role as the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. His selection follows the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88 and positions him to navigate complex relations between the Church and political leaders worldwide, particularly in the United States where President Trump and Vice President Vance have implemented strict immigration policies that have drawn criticism from Catholic leadership.

President Donald Trump says it's a 'great honor' to have an American pope and says 'they've already called' when asked about potential meeting

READ: https://t.co/zXHmXrIPuF pic.twitter.com/KMdxgO9NGH

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 8, 2025

Trump’s Celebration Despite Past Tensions

Despite prior disagreements, President Donald Trump publicly celebrated Prevost’s election with enthusiasm. On his Truth Social platform, Trump shared his congratulations: “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.

Vice President JD Vance also offered his congratulations to the new pope, writing, “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!” The White House has not commented on Pope Leo XIV’s past criticisms of the administration, choosing instead to focus on the historic nature of his election and its significance for American Catholics.

Past Criticisms and Future Relations

Before his election as pope, Cardinal Prevost had been critical of Trump and Vance’s immigration policies. He shared posts opposing Vance’s religious views and statements on migrant deportation, and retweeted criticism of Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. In February 2025, he highlighted an article arguing against Vance’s interpretation of Catholic teachings on immigration after Vance had used medieval Catholic teachings to justify the Trump administration’s immigration policy, which Pope Francis had rebutted in a letter to U.S. Catholic bishops.

While not highly active on social media in 2024, Prevost had posted extensively in English and Spanish since 2011. In 2015, he shared an opinion piece criticizing Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. His predecessor, Pope Francis, had frequent clashes with Trump and Vance over immigration policies and cuts to foreign aid and welfare programs. Interestingly, Vance was one of the last officials to meet Pope Francis before his death. The cordial official responses from both Trump and Vance to Pope Leo XIV’s election suggest they may be seeking to establish more positive relations with the new pontiff despite these past differences.