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 โMarxistโ and โanti-Trumpโ
- Shared articles condemning deportations and defending migrants
- Vanceโs 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, heโs 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: โJD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnโt ask us to rank our love for others.โ It went viral.
Articles Shared Targeted Deportations
Cardinal Prevost also shared critiques of Vanceโs 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 Trumpโs order.
A retweet slammed both Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukeleโs actions, asking, โIs your conscience not disturbed?โ
In 2015, he also linked to a Washington Post column titled: โWhy Donald Trumpโs anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic,โ written by Cardinal Dolan.
MAGA World Loses It
As the posts began resurfacing, MAGA commentators erupted.
Steve Bannon called the pope โthe worst pick for MAGA Catholicsโ and labeled him โthe anti-Trump pope.โ Laura Loomer accused Leo XIV of being soft on crime and proโopen borders.
Joey Mannarino, a popular conservative podcaster, went further. He called the new pope a โliberal piece of s**tโ 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 โhatred, violence, and prejudice.โ
That line was enough for some to brand him a โMarxistโ 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.
Vanceโs Reaction Measured
Despite being personally targeted by the new popeโs posts, JD Vance kept his cool publicly.
His official comment? A short congratulatory post on X: โCongratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! Iโm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church.โ
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 administrationโs crackdown on undocumented migrants.
From Chicago to Vatican
Leo XIVโs 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 โ 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: heโs already made waves that reach far beyond Rome.
