Historic First: Trump’s Message to America’s Pioneer Pope Leo XIV

Dome of a cathedral at sunset with orange sky

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American pontiff in the Catholic Church’s history, prompting congratulations from President Donald Trump despite their past differences on immigration policy.

Key Takeaways

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago, has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the 267th pontiff and the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
President Donald Trump congratulated the new pope on Truth Social, calling it “a Great Honor for our Country” despite Pope Leo XIV’s previous criticism of Trump’s immigration policies.
Pope Leo XIV, age 69, is considered a moderate who was close to the late Pope Francis and has experience as a missionary in Peru.
The new pontiff had previously shared social media posts critical of Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s immigration policies and religious interpretations.
Vice President Vance, despite being criticized by the new pope, offered congratulations and stated millions of Americans would pray for his successful leadership.

Historic Election of First American Pope

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was elected as Pope Leo XIV, making history as the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church in its two-thousand-year existence. The 69-year-old Augustinian, born in Chicago on September 14, 1955, addressed the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica following the conclave at The Vatican. As the 267th pontiff, Pope Leo XIV brings experience as a missionary in Peru and is known to be a moderate who maintained close ties with his predecessor, Pope Francis, who passed away at 88.

The election represents a significant milestone for American Catholics, who have never before seen one of their countrymen elevated to the papacy. Prevost’s selection comes after a conclave that followed the death of Pope Francis, who led the church through a period of progressive reforms and outspoken advocacy on issues like climate change, immigration, and economic inequality. The new pontiff has built a reputation as a thoughtful theologian with particular focus on social justice issues throughout his service to the church.

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 and Vance React to the New Pontiff

President Donald Trump quickly offered his congratulations to the newly elected Pope on his Truth Social platform, emphasizing the national pride in seeing an American elevated to the papacy. “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 in his social media message.

Vice President JD Vance also extended his good wishes despite previous criticism from the new pope regarding his interpretation of Catholic teachings on immigration. “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,” Vance posted. Notably, Vance was among the last officials to meet with Pope Francis before his death.

Past Tensions Between Pope Leo XIV and U.S. Leadership

Prior to his election as pope, Cardinal Prevost had expressed views at odds with the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Records show that Prevost was active on social media since 2011, posting in both English and Spanish, with several posts directly critical of Trump and Vance. In February 2025, he shared an article challenging Vance’s use of medieval Catholic teachings to justify strict immigration policies. This criticism echoed Pope Francis’s rebuttals of the same arguments in a letter to U.S. Catholic bishops.

As far back as 2015, Prevost shared an opinion piece critical of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, and he reposted criticisms of both Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in subsequent years. These past tensions highlight potential challenges in the relationship between the new pontiff and American leadership. The White House has not officially commented on Pope Leo XIV’s previous criticisms of administration policies, focusing instead on the historic nature of his election.