Yanks in the Vatican: The First American Pope and the Divisive President
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Powerful Clash Between U.S. Pope and Proud President Revealed - Powerful Leader of the USA Clashing with the Head of American Catholic Church
The United States, under the contentious leadership of Donald Trump, has been keeping the world on edge on every issue. Now, they've added another feather to their cap – becoming the Papal State. For the first time ever. A US Catholic, Dawn, stands outside a St. Matthew's church in the heart of Washington D.C., chuckles, admitting she almost started singing "God Bless America" when she heard about Cardinal Robert Prevost's election as the new Pope. "But honestly, the Pope is the Pope of the universal Church. And if he were only a Pope for America, that would be a really bad thing."
The slender woman with silver hair applaudes the choice of the new Pontiff's name vigorously. Leo XIV – that's a nod to Pope Leo XIII, who was known as the Pope of the workers and a staunch advocate for social justice. She therefore anticipates "wonderful things" from him.
Others rush to the nearest church upon hearing the news from Rome, not just in the capital. Near Dawn, a mother and her grown daughter stand. They couldn't wait to find out who the new Pope would be and which direction the Church would take, the mother, Teresa, explains. She's visiting her daughter, who's studying in D.C., from Pennsylvania. "We adored Pope Francis," says Teresa. He represented compassion and mercy. Naturally, it's thrilling that the new Pope is American. But in the end, nationality is irrelevant.
Trump stirred controversy with Pope jokes
For Donald Trump, indeed. Just after the surprising news from Rome, the US President tweets on the Truth Social platform: "What a tremendous honor to realize that he is the first American Pope." This is exciting and a "great honor" for the USA. He looks forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. "It will be a momentous occasion!"
Trump is a Christian, although not a Catholic. The Republican isn't known for his religious devotion, even though evangelical Christians are a vital voting bloc for him. The US President has demonstrated a lack of religious sensitivity on numerous occasions, offending many Catholics with an AI-generated image of himself as Pope. A US bishop publicly decried this as tactless and offensive, demanding an apology from the President.
Previously, Trump had joked publicly that he would like to be Pope himself. "That'd be my top choice." Some believers didn't find this joke funny.
Criticism of Trump's politics from the Vatican
How well the President and the first American Pope will get along remains to be seen. In the race for the post of head of the Catholic Church, another American was also in the running, who is considered more conservative and was a Trump favorite.
As Cardinal, Robert Prevost publicly criticized Trump's ally JD Vance just a few weeks ago. Vance had discussed a "Christian concept" in an interview that said "you love your family, then your neighbors, then your community, then your fellow citizens, and then the rest of the world." Prevost then shared an opinion piece on the X platform: "JD Vance is misguided: Jesus does not ask us to rank our love for others."
Vance met with Prevost's predecessor, Pope Francis, shortly before his death in the Vatican. According to Vatican sources, the meeting also touched on topics such as migrants, refugees, and people in prison. Francis had publicly criticized Trump's immigration policy several times. The new pope also seems to have reservations about the US government's immigration policy, as demonstrated by his X-account interactions with other users on this topic.
Protestantism is the predominant Christian denomination in the USA.
That a US-American is elected pope just a few months after Joe Biden leaves the White House holds a certain irony. Biden is a devout Catholic. He was only the second Catholic president in US history after John F. Kennedy (1961-1963). The 82-year-old and his wife Jill traveled to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, barely missing the historic moment for the USA and American Catholics as president.
Approximately 20 percent of Americans identify as Catholic. Other Christian denominations, particularly Protestantism, are more prevalent in the US. The Catholic Church in the US has also faced deep crises in recent years, with several abuse scandals uncovered – many of which had been covered up for decades.
New Pope – Fresh Perspective?
Some Catholics in the US hope that an American pope with a social approach could cast a positive light on the Catholic Church in the US and the country as a whole. Electra, a student who came to the church in Washington D.C. with her mother, expects Leo XIV to be a "compassionate representation of the USA" to the world. "I hope the pope brings that and spreads this very positive image worldwide – at a time when much is uncertain and there is much confusion."
- Despite the controversial leadership of Donald Trump, the US has made a surprising turn as the Papal State, with an American, Dawn, expressing delight yet recognizing the need for the Pope to serve the universal Church.
- The new American Pope, Leo XIV, has ignited excitement, as his name echoes that of Pope Leo XIII, a strong advocate for social justice.
- On social media, if not in the capital, people are eager to learn about the direction the Church will take under the new American Pope, reflecting diverse opinions and expectations.
- Despite being a Christian, Donald Trump's religious sensitivity has been questioned, as he made both a tactless AI-generated image of himself as Pope and a joke about wanting to be Pope himself.
- The relationship between Donald Trump and the first American Pope, Robert Prevost, remains to be seen, given Prevost's public criticisms of conservative political figures and Trump's immigration policies.
