In a historic and politically charged moment, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States has become Pope Leo XIV, the first American ever to ascend to the papacy. While many celebrated this groundbreaking election, the new pope’s past social media posts have sparked backlash from conservative circles, particularly supporters of former President Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.
Before becoming pontiff, Pope Leo XIV was known to share strong opinions on political matters—especially policies associated with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. His X (formerly Twitter) account, under the handle @drprevost, includes reposts critical of the Trump administration’s stances on immigration, climate change, and human rights.
One post from February featured a rebuke of JD Vance, suggesting that Jesus does not ask people to “rank their love for others.” Another repost in April condemned Trump’s meeting with El Salvador’s President Bukele over a controversial prison arrangement, questioning whether people were ignoring human suffering: “Is your conscience not disturbed?”
While it remains unclear whether Prevost personally managed the account, the posts have drawn fire from right-wing figures. Conservative activist Laura Loomer denounced Pope Leo XIV as “anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.” Charlie Kirk went further, asking if Pope Leo was a “pro-life Republican or a globalist installed to counter Trump?”
Interestingly, President Trump himself reacted more diplomatically, saying, “To have the pope from the United States of America, that’s a great honor.” He confirmed the Vatican had already contacted him for a possible meeting.
Despite the political uproar, Pope Leo XIV is expected to carry forward Pope Francis’s legacy—supporting the poor, advocating for immigrants, and tackling social injustice. He’s been vocal about climate change, promoting a Catholic petition to combat it—an issue Trump rolled back by pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement.
He also took a stand during the global racial justice protests following the killing of George Floyd in 2020. On May 30 of that year, he tweeted, “We need to hear more from leaders in the Church, to reject racism and seek justice.”
On abortion, however, Pope Leo aligns with conservative values, firmly opposing the practice—a stance also shared by Trump and Vance. This shared view is one of the few ideological overlaps between the new pope and the Republican leadership.
Senator Vance responded diplomatically to the news, offering well wishes. “May God bless him!” he wrote on X, expressing hope that Pope Leo’s tenure would be supported by prayers from millions of American Christians.
As with past popes, Pope Leo XIV’s relationship with U.S. political leaders is expected to include both cooperation and conflict. The Vatican and the White House have a long history of complex engagements, from President Reagan’s alliance with Pope John Paul II to disagreements over war and abortion during the Bush and Clinton eras.
What’s clear is that Pope Leo’s past remarks have already reignited debates about faith, politics, and leadership in a deeply polarized America—and the world will be watching closely.
