(
The Hill
— Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was elected as the first U.S. pontiff on Thursday, often utilized social media to gently challenge the Trump administration and its policies, according to an examination of his earlier postings on the platform formerly known as X.
Prevost, who is now recognized as Pope Leo XIV,
shared
columns
That challenged VP JD Vance’s explanation of Christian “ordo amoris,” or the hierarchy of love, back in February.
linked to an
an article that criticized Trump’s “anti-immigration speech” as perilous back in 2015; and shared posts opposing this stance
death penalty
, migrant
deportations
and Congress’s inaction on
gun laws
after deadly shootings.
He
discussed his approach
To cautiously utilize social media as discussed in a 2023 interview with the Vatican News Service.
Prevost stated, “Social media serves as a vital platform for spreading the Gospel to millions.” He also noted, “However, given our rapidly evolving world, we must carefully consider our words multiple times before posting on platforms like Twitter or engaging publicly with messages visible to all.”
“Sometimes there is a risk of fueling divisions and controversy,” he added.
Prevost is a Chicago native but rose the ranks of the Catholic church through his work in South America and has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru.
He employed his initial papal address as Pope Leo to underscore solidarity.
“We have to seek together to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges and dialogue, always ready to accept, like this great piazza, with its arms, we have to show our charity, presence and dialogue with love,” he said.
Trump wrote in a social media post shortly after the new pontiff’s introduction that he looks forward to meeting the first American pope.
“The president penned that it would be an immensely significant moment!”
In 2019, Vance embraced Catholicism and now stands as the country’s second Catholic vice president. He was among those who had their final meeting with Pope Francis—a trusted advisor to Prevost—prior to the pontiff’s passing on April 21. Prior to his role as vice president, Vance, hailing from Middletown, held the position of one of Ohio’s two representatives in the U.S. Senate.
Vance subsequently mentioned that he viewed the coincidence as “a tremendous honor and a message from God to bear in mind that you never know when your final day on earth will be.”
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