Catholics have a new pope, the first time in church history, it is American. The Cardinal College only chose American Cardinal Robert Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis in just two days. Prevost (named after Leo Xiv) is by no means a leader for the Pope, and as the world scrambles to learn about the new Pontiff, it’s clear that he has at least one very American habit: release.
Since 2011, Prevost appears to be an active user of Twitter, now known as X.
However, Prest also uses the platform to criticize Donald Trump and his administration’s approach to immigration policy. In 2015, Prevost published an article on Twitter that criticized Trump's "problematic" "anti-immigrant rhetoric."
His most recent February 2025 post has been popular since Prevost's altitude. Prest wrote: “Jesus does not ask us to rank the love of others.” (He added a second article, criticizing Vance’s misunderstanding of the “Ordo Amoris” doctrine.)
In its latest post before entering the meeting, Prevost criticized Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele for revealing the deportation and detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Prevost is related to an article on the website Catholic Standards, comparing the dilemma and persecution experienced by immigrant and refugee communities with the passion of Jesus Christ.
Maga's right reaction - in recent years it also likes super conservative Catholicism - is direct and predictable.
"Wake up the Pope of Marxism," wrote Laura Loomer, a far-right 9/11 conspiracy theorist, who was close enough to Trump to suggest decisions about national security personnel. In another article, Loomer wrote that Prevost is “another Marxist puppet in the Vatican” and “there is nothing to look forward to by Catholics.”
Sean Davis, founder of the right-wing website, wrote that he had been concerned that the Cardinal “chooses the left, the pope of Western Europe, and uses the Roman Catholic Church to resist in general, especially Trump, especially Trump, especially against the rise of the national population to those who believe in the purpose of the country.”
He wrote: “The new pope was born in the United States, not Western Europe, so I was wrong on that score, but I was worried that I was not wrong with the other scores.”
Megyn Kelly, a right-wing commentator who was initially excited about the election of the U.S. pope, later wondered “too much, hopefully someone’s 20-year-old runs the new pope’s X account and he’s never seen it?”
Through his tweets and retweets, Prevost has been involved in several hot topics in American politics – from gun control to death to climate change to George Floyd’s murder.
In 2013, he forwarded anti-capitalist political cartoons. It features a picture of Francis, standing next to the poster with the words "Greedy is bad", reading "Wall Street", "Banks" and "Great Power" behind the three men in suits, briefcases. These men pointed at the pope and shouted, "Blasphemy!"
In 2015, Prevost's recognition of environmental advocacy within the church wrote: "Signed the Catholic climate petition."
In 2017, Prest reposted Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) for criticizing Republicans and their reliance on divine interventions to address gun violence. "For my colleagues: your cowardly behavior cannot be painted with thoughts and prayers," Murphy wrote. "It's not over until we do something to stop it."
In 2017, Prevost reposted the condemnation of “acts of hatred” by the American Catholic Bishops’ Conference after a racist rally in Charlottesville. In 2020, Prevost retweeted prayers for the murdered George Floyd and his family and posted a call for “leaders in the church to reject racism and seek justice.”
Of course, the Pope is still a Catholic. Prevost's social media also includes a series of anti-abortion posts, such as a meme where "B" and "R" have been replaced in "Abortion" to spell "adoption." In another article, Prevost has the title: “Revoke authorization from the HHS department and asks Catholic employers to provide contraceptive pills/abortificatient to employees.” The new pope also called for the elimination of the death penalty.
Trump and Vance react more diplomatically than online followers have diplomatically.
"Congratulations to Robert Francis Prevost, who has just been appointed as Pope," Trump wrote. "It is an honor to realize that he is the first American pope. What excitement is a honor to our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo. This will be a very meaningful moment! ”
The reverent tone is Trump's change. The president recently told reporters that he wanted to be elected as Pope and even flirted with blasphemy by posting his own AI-generated image in his papal costume.
"Congratulations to the first Pope Lion XIV election in the United States!" Vance wrote. "I'm sure thousands of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful leadership of the church. May God bless him!"
The day before Vance died, Francis met with the Pope. On that day, Francis called on immigrants to mercy in Easter blessings.
Now that he is on the cloak of the church around the globe, Prevost may stop posting under his personal social media account. But, who knows, maybe it is a poster of the Catholic Church’s dedication.