The election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American to hold the papacy, has added a new dynamic to the intersection of religion and politics in the United States.
While Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, has not yet issued official papal statements targeting U.S. policy under President Donald Trump, his past remarks and affiliations provide a window into some of his views — particularly around immigration and climate change.
Why It Matters
Pope Leo XIV assumed leadership of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. The Illinois native, 69, is a member of the Augustinian religious order.
His leadership comes at a time when American political leaders—many of whom identify as Catholic, including Vice President JD Vance—have been appointed to Cabinet positions in the Trump administration.
Pope Leo XIV Views: What We Know
In some matters, Leo XIV has aligned ideologically with his predecessor, Pope Francis, especially on the treatment of immigrants and the environment. Earlier this year, Francis criticized Trump’s administration over its immigration agenda, which includes mass deportations.
Pope Leo XIV’s brother, John Prevost, told The New York Times that he is “not happy with what’s going on with immigration.”
Describing his brother, Prevost told the Times: “The best way I could describe him right now is that he will be following in Francis’ footsteps. They were very good friends. They knew each other before he was pope, before my brother even was bishop.”
However, he said he didn’t believe the new pope would “stay quiet for too long if he has something to say.”
What Has Pope Leo XIV Said About Trump’s Policies?
As Cardinal, Leo maintained an X, formerly Twitter, account that sometimes reshared content critical of Trump administration policies.
In one instance, in April, he reposted a commentary that criticized a 2024 Trump meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele about deportation logistics, saying: “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed?”
Prior to that, in February, Prevost reposted an article headlined, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
The article, an opinion piece from the National Catholic Reporter, focused on a comment Vance made during a Fox News interview on January 29.
At the time, Vance said: “There’s this old school—and I think it’s a very Christian concept, by the way—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 your own country, and then after that you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.”
Pope Leo XIV’s posture suggests a continued stance like that of Pope Francis against beliefs that seek to curtail immigration through physical barriers or mass deportations.
Francis has long criticized Trump’s immigration policies. In February 2016, per The Guardian, Pope Francis openly criticized Trump’s proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall, stating: “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not of building bridges, is not Christian,” the former pope said. “This is not the gospel.”
Back in 2018, social media action shows Pope Leo XIV reposted a statement from Cardinal Blase Cupich, where he criticized the Trump administration’s policies on separating families, per CBS News.
The outlet also reported that in 2015, he reposted an article from Cardinal Timothy Dolan titled, “Why Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic.”
What Did Donald Trump Say About the New Pope?
President Trump responded to the pope’s election with praise. “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” he wrote on Truth Social. “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!
However, when the pope’s criticism of the Trump administration came up during a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt deflected a question.
After being asked about Prevost’s remarks, Leavitt said: “The president made his reaction to Pope Leo’s announcement yesterday very clear. He is very proud to have an American pope. It’s a great thing for the United States of America and the world, and we’re praying for him.”
His remarks were in contrast to reactions from his political base. While Trump celebrated the milestone, far-right figures like Laura Loomer said: “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.”
Vice President JD Vance took a more measured tone, saying on X: “Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election!”
As Catholics and others around the world continue to celebrate the new pope’s election, Pope Leo XIV has not released a formal encyclical or directive on U.S. policies.
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