Trump congratulates Prevost on becoming the first US-born Pope

Friday, May 9th 2025 - 11:20 UTC

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Trump said he looked forward to meeting Leo XIV

US President Donald Trump congratulated Robert Francis Prevost Martinez on being the first American-born pope, who chose to be known as Leo XIV. Prevost, a 69-year-old Chicago native, was praised by Trump on Truth Social as a great honor for the country.

“It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country,” he added. “I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

Leo XIV has also been vocal against Trump's immigration policies. No specific date for a meeting between the Trumps and Leo XIV has been announced.

Trump, a non-denominational Christian, and his Catholic wife, Melania, who met Pope Francis in 2017 and attended his funeral in April 2025, expressed excitement about meeting the new pontiff.

Also congratulating the new pope was Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, and ended up the last world personality to have spoken with Argentine-born Pope Francis. “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” said a National Catholic Reporter article shared by then-Cardinal Prevost’s account not so long ago.

“I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church,” Vance wrote on social media.

“Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?” tweeted Prevost, quoting an article by Bishop Evelio Menjivar on Catholic Standard. Leo XIV is not as welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community as Francis, who was also critical of Trump's administration.