Key Points Summary: Pope criticized Trump

• Pope criticized Trump and JD Vance on immigration policies
• Social media posts from Cardinal Prevost resurface after his election
• MAGA personalities erupt, calling him a “Marxist” and “anti-Trump”
• Shared articles condemning deportations and defending migrants
• Vance’s theological argument publicly rejected by Leo XIV
• Pope Francis also clashed with Trump before his death
• White House stays quiet as controversy grows

Pope Criticized Trump in Online Posts Before Election

The first American pope has barely stepped onto the Vatican balcony, and already, he’s igniting political firestorms.

Before he became Pope Leo XIV on May 8, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago took aim at Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance over their immigration policies. Old posts on X, formerly Twitter, are now making waves across the globe.

One of those posts, dated February 3, 2025, linked to a National Catholic Reporter article titled: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” It went viral.

Articles Shared Targeted Deportations

Cardinal Prevost also shared critiques of Vance’s interpretation of Catholic theology. In another post, he criticized the U.S. deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, back to El Salvador under Trump’s order.

A retweet slammed both Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s actions, asking, “Is your conscience not disturbed?”

In 2015, he also linked to a Washington Post column titled: “Why Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic,” written by Cardinal Dolan.

MAGA World Loses It

As the posts began resurfacing, MAGA commentators erupted.

Steve Bannon called the pope “the worst pick for MAGA Catholics” and labeled him “the anti-Trump pope.” Laura Loomer accused Leo XIV of being soft on crime and pro–open borders.

Joey Mannarino, a popular conservative podcaster, went further. He called the new pope a “liberal piece of s**t” and accused him of promoting leftist ideology.

Sympathy for George Floyd Fuels Anger

Critics also highlighted posts where Leo XIV expressed sympathy for George Floyd. He shared a prayer asking for an end to “hatred, violence, and prejudice.”

That line was enough for some to brand him a “Marxist” and accuse him of aligning with so-called soft-on-crime views.

Still, Pope Leo XIV never explicitly supported any political party. Voting records show he participated in Illinois Republican primaries in 2012, 2014, and 2016.

Vance’s Reaction Measured

Despite being personally targeted by the new pope’s posts, JD Vance kept his cool publicly.

His official comment? A short congratulatory post on X: “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.”

Behind the scenes, insiders say the Vice President is less than thrilled.

Pope Francis Set the Tone

Pope Leo XIV is walking in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who frequently clashed with Trump during his presidency.

Just before his death, Francis met privately with Vance. Insiders say the meeting was cordial but filled with tension over U.S. immigration and social policy.

Francis had previously rebuked the theological arguments used by Vance to justify the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented migrants.

From Chicago to Vatican

Leo XIV’s roots are American, but his career has spanned continents. Born in Chicago, Prevost spent much of his priesthood in Latin America. He became a naturalized Peruvian citizen and served as archbishop in Chiclayo.

He posted hundreds of times over the years, mainly in English and Spanish. While he mostly avoided X in 2024, his earlier content is being dissected line by line.

The Church at a Crossroads

With his surprise election, Leo XIV takes the helm of a global church with 1.4 billion followers — including 53 million in the U.S.

But his rise comes at a cost: a deepening divide between traditionalist conservatives and socially progressive Catholics.

Whether Leo XIV will lean into the role of reformer or conciliator remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: he’s already made waves that reach far beyond Rome.