Pope Leo XIV’s past social media activity has come under renewed scrutiny following his historic election as the first American pope—particularly his critical posts about former U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.
After the passing of Pope Francis at age 88 last month, the world waited in anticipation as the papal conclave deliberated. Today (May 8), the Vatican officially announced that Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, had been elected to succeed Francis, taking the papal name Leo XIV.
Prevost’s appointment marks a watershed moment for the Catholic Church, as he becomes the first American ever to hold the papacy.
While Donald Trump initially expressed joy at the news—despite previously joking about becoming pope himself and sharing an AI-generated image widely condemned as blasphemous—some are questioning whether he remembers Pope Leo XIV’s past public criticism.
Prevost, prior to his election, had reshared multiple posts on Twitter (now X) condemning Trump-era immigration policies. One reposted tweet read:
“As Trump & Bukele use Oval to Feds’ illicit deportation of a US resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-DC Aux +Evelio asks, ‘Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?’”
Another tweet, also reshared by Prevost, stated:
“There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.”
Pope Leo XIV also appeared to critique Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, by reposting a National Catholic Reporter op-ed titled “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” The article came in response to Vance’s remarks on Fox News, where he said:
“There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that.”
The resurfacing of these posts comes shortly after Trump took to Truth Social to respond to the election of the new pope—though he has not yet commented directly on the controversial remarks.
Awks. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“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!”