President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the election of new Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States, as a "great honour" for the country.
"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country [sic]," Trump said on his Truth Social network. "I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a conservative Catholic, said in a statement that the United States "looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship" with the new pope.
Trump later spoke to reporters outside the West Wing about the new pope, who hails from Chicago.
"To have the pope from America, that's a great honour," Trump said in brief remarks. "What greater honour could there be. We're a little bit surprised but very happy."
The president said Vatican officials had reached out about a meeting, adding "we'll see what happens."
The new pope, as a cardinal, has spoken out critically on the Trump administration's key policy of mass deportations of migrants, as did Francis.
In February, the future pope reposted on X an essay with the headline that Vice-President JD Vance "is wrong" in arguing that Christians should love their family first before prioritising the rest of the world.
Vance, a recent convert to Catholicism, met Francis briefly on Easter Sunday hours before the pontiff died. He offered congratulations to the new pope.
"I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!” Vance wrote.
Reaction in Argentina
Argentina's President Javier Milei reacted to the news by posting an image made by artificial intelligence of a lion dressed as a pope – a clear reference to his party symbol.
"THE FORCES OF HEAVEN HAVE GIVEN THEIR VERDICT IN A CLEAR WAY. No more words Mr. Judge. The end," he wrote alongside the image.
The publication went viral immediately and, with thousands of ‘likes’ and comments that celebrated the gesture or questioned it.
The image alludes to the new Pope Leo XIV, the name chosen by US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, recently proclaimed successor to the late Pope Francis.
– TIMES/AFP
– TIMES/AFP
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