JD Vance has showered praise on newly-elected Pope Leo XIV – despite the pontiff slamming the vice president and Trump’s policies for years.
Robert Prevost, the first American to be named Holy Father, posted articles blasting fellow Catholic Vance just months before the historic conclave.
Both Vance and Trump have sent their well-wishes to the new leader despite signs of apparent mistrust of their administration.
In a post on X, Vance wrote, “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. May God bless him!”
And before that, Trump took to Truth Social to say, “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.”
“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV,” he wrote.
“It will be a very meaningful moment!”
THE POPE’S CRITICISM
Prevost has kept up an active internet presence over the past decade and has often appeared to share his true thoughts on Donald Trump’s second presidency.
His latest repost on X was a critique of Trump’s immigration crackdown from Catholic commentator Rocco Palmo.
In the post, Palmo quoted, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”
And just a few posts before this, Prevost boldly shared a spate of articles questioning statements made by Vance, who converted to Catholicism in his 30s.
One article was an opinion piece in the National Catholic Reporter with the headline, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
The article was in response to Vance telling Fox News: “We should love our family first, then our neighbors, then love our community, then our country, and only then consider the interests of the rest of the world.”
And the other was an article criticizing Vance after Pope Francis penned a letter to American bishops and encouraged them to support illegal immigrants being targeted by the crackdown.
Prevost’s response echoed that of former Pope Francis, who similarly contradicted Vance, writing, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups.”
THE FIRST AMERICAN POPE
On Thursday evening, a crowd of pilgrims let out a triumphant roar of cheers after white smoke billowed from the Vatican, indicating that a new holy leader had been chosen.
Several tense moments later, parishioners looked up in shock as Prevost emerged from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and said, “Peace be with you.”
Prevost, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, has made history as the first American pope.
For the past 250 years of American nationhood, but especially in the post WWII era, Americans were often passed up for the papacy because of the country’s established global prominence.
However, Prevost, 69, was a unique choice as he was a naturalized citizen of Peru, where he served as a seminary leader and apostolic administrator.
In recent years, Prevost has become indispensable to the Vatican.
In 2023, Pope Francis hand-selected him to head the office that vets global bishops.
That position elevated him above other cardinals, making him an easier choice.
‘SUCH AN HONOR’
Trump revealed that the Vatican had already called him following Prevost’s election and stressed that it was a “great honor” for America to be represented in the papacy.
“To have the Pope from the United States of America, that’s a great honor,” he told reporters.
“I’m watching it and they say, ‘He’s from America,’ I said, ‘That’s great!'”
Former President Joe Biden, who is Catholic, also congratulated the new Pope, saying “Habemus papam” – a Latin phrase meaning “We Have a pope” used to announce the election.
“May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois. Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success,” Biden wrote on X.
Meanwhile, staunch Trump supporters have shared their frustrations with the election and fear the Vatican will turn Catholics against the president.
Conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer cried, “He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.
“Catholics don’t have anything good to look forward to.”
And another Trump fan said, “As a Catholic, this is tough to celebrate and sad to see.”
WHO IS POPE LEO XIV?
Prevost has adopted the name Leo XIV, after that last Leo, the thirteenth, who served from 1878 until his death in 1903.
Leo XIII was a strong supporter of the church in the US, and Prevost appears to be adopting that same position with his chosen name, Catholic author George Weigel told NBC News.
“There would be a certain symmetry to a pope, Leo XIV, coming from the United States,” Weigel said.
Leo XIII redefined Catholic thinking with his advocacy for workers’ rights and belief in trade unions and fair wages.
He used his position to fight for social justice while prioritizing the spiritual health of parishioners.
