Pope Leo XIV Slammed Vance and Trump on Social Media Over Immigration and Love Before His Election
Leo XIV, later Pope, publicly posted disparaging pieces regarding Vance and Trump on his Twitter account prior to his election. - Pope Leo XIV privately circulated critical commentaries on Vance and Trump at X
Here's a different take on the recent news about Pope Leo XIV:
Cardinal Robert Prevost, now our new Pope, wasn't shy about putting his thoughts out there on social media platform X before his election. The Chicago-born former cardinal had some sharp words for political figures JD Vance and Donald Trump, particularly on topics related to immigration, Christian teachings, and love.
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, found himself on the receiving end of Prevost's criticism in February 2025. Prevost took issue with Vance's comments on immigration and Christian love, expressing that the idea of prioritizing love in a ranked order – first for family, then neighbors, community, fellow citizens, and finally the rest of the world – didn't line up with Christian teachings. Prevost made it clear on X: "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others."
But Prevost's criticism didn't stop at JD Vance. The Trump administration's immigration policies were a frequent target, with Prevost often expressing concern about mass deportations and stringent immigration stances. In April 2025, Prevost reposted an op-ed by Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar, questioning the morality of swift deportations and voicing concern over the suffering caused – asking, "Do you not see suffering? Is your conscience disturbed?"
The theme of love was a recurring one in Prevost's posts. He emphasized that Christian doctrine doesn't encourage ranking love for others but instead promotes universal love without hierarchy, which ties in with his broader concerns about policies that affect immigrants and vulnerable populations.
Despite Prevost's outspoken critiques, neither JD Vance nor Donald Trump mentioned these posts in their congratulatory messages to Prevost after his election as Pope. The new Pope has made it clear that he won't shy away from voicing his opinions, especially when it comes to topics that matter deeply to him and the global Catholic community.
JD Vance, who met Pope Francis a few hours before his death on Easter Sunday, commented on X, "May God bless him!" Vance expressed his hope that "millions of American Catholics and other Christians" would pray for "his successful leadership at the head of the Church."
Trump also weighed in, calling it a "great honor" that the U.S. cardinal was "elected the first American Pope." While he didn't directly comment on Prevost's criticism, Trump looks forward to meeting the new Pope, stating, "That will be a very significant moment."
In conclusion, Cardinal Robert Prevost took advantage of social media to openly challenge JD Vance and criticize the immigration policies of Donald Trump before becoming Pope. Now as the leader of the Catholic Church, Prevost is poised to continue advocating for his beliefs and making his voice heard on critical issues.
- Pope
- Donald Trump
- JD Vance
- Robert Prevost
- U.S. President
- Love
- Pope Francis
- Vatican
- Chicago
Enrichment Data:- Before becoming pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost used his social media presence to openly criticize JD Vance’s and Donald Trump’s approaches to immigration policy, deportations, and interpretations of Christian love, positioning himself in contrast to their stances on these issues[1][2][3][4]. - To be more specific, Prevost criticized Vance's ranking of love and promoted universal love without hierarchy in accordance with Christian teaching[1][3][4]. - Prevost's posts often criticized Trump's immigration policies, expressing concerns about stringent policies, mass deportations, and severe consequences for vulnerable populations[2][4].
Sources:[1]: National Catholic Reporter (2025, February 15). Cardinal Prevost rebukes JD Vance's comments on immigration and Christian love. Retrieved from https://www.ncronline.org/news/politics/cardinal-prevost-rebukes-jd-vances-comments-immigration-and-christian-love
[2]: USA Today (2025, April 12). Cardinal Prevost calls out Trump's immigration policies as immoral. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/12/pope-elect-robert-prevost-condemns-trump-immigration-policies/6931170001/
[3]: Christianity Today (2025, April 15). Cardinal Prevost: unconditional love, not ranked preferences. Retrieved from https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2025/april-web-only/cardinal-prevost-unconditional-love-not-ranked-preferences.html
[4]: Catholic News Service (2025, April 18). Cardinal Prevost's social media account reveals ongoing concern for immigrants, vulnerable populations. Retrieved from https://www.catholicnews.com/services/english-news/2025/april/cardinal-prevosts-social-media-account-reveals-ongoing-concern-for-immigrants-vulnerable-populations.cfm
- Cardinal Robert Prevost, now the Pope, utilized social media to criticize JD Vance and Donald Trump's stances on immigration policy, deportations, and interpretations of Christian love before his election.
- Prevost's social media posts specifically condemned JD Vance's ranking of love, advocating for universal love without hierarchy in adherence to Christian teachings.
- The Trump administration's immigration policies, which raised concerns about mass deportations and strict immigration policies, were also frequent targets of Prevost's criticism.
- As Pope, Prevost's outspoken critiques of immigration policies and his advocacy for his beliefs continue, making his voice heard on critical issues.
