First American Pope: Will Prevost Stand Up to Trump’s Agenda?

Although he is the first American pope and President Donald Trump was quick to express enthusiasm over his election, many expect Cardinal Robert Prevost—now Pope Leo XIV—to prove a thorn in the side of the U.S. administration.

Several American reports predict the new pope will continue along the path of his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, particularly on contentious issues with Trump, such as immigration, human rights, and homosexuality.

In previous years, Pope Leo XIV has openly criticized Trump, who is aligned with evangelical Protestantism, for his immigration policies and the expulsion of refugees.

He also condemned remarks by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who said Americans should be prioritized over the rest of the world, calling such views “wrong.”

Evangelical Protestants, who make up the majority of Christians in the U.S., have long held adversarial views toward Catholics, who account for about 20% of the American population, according to the Pew Research Center.

With the election of the new pope, the world now has two Americans wielding enormous influence—one political, the other spiritual—and comparisons and clashes between Trump and Pope Leo XIV may be inevitable.

Chosen to Challenge Trump?

Though the new pope holds American citizenship, he is of Peruvian origin and was born in Latin America. That identity places him within the Global South much like the late Pope Francis of Argentina, and it signals a worldview often at odds with the U.S. and the broader West.

During Francis’s papacy, tensions flared with many European cardinals, particularly over his roots in the Global South and his efforts to dismantle the unwritten rulebook that had long cemented the influence of bishops from Italy, Europe, and the United States.

These conservative opponents pushed back against several of Francis’s reforms, especially his controversial decision to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion—a policy seen by some as softening the Church’s stance on divorce. Similar opposition is expected now with Pope Prevost.

At the time, anonymous cardinals even released memos harshly criticizing Francis, as reported earlier by Al-Estiklal.

This raises a pressing question: will Pope Prevost face the same resistance from conservative Western cardinals who see his more inclusive approach as straying from core Catholic doctrine?

Reports suggest that support from cardinals in emerging power centers of the Catholic South played a decisive role in his election.

Pope Prevost is known for advocating for refugees, defending human rights, and championing the poor, all in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s agenda, particularly his mass deportation policies.

In a notable gesture, the new pope delivered his first speech in Spanish and Italian, not English.

That choice didn’t go unnoticed. Church historian Alberto Melloni noted that Trump has long harbored disdain for Spanish speakers, often associating them with immigration.

Prevost, who has had an X account since 201, has posted over 400 times, including posts criticizing Trump-era policies.

In his inaugural address, he condemned the neglect of mercy and the grave violations of human dignity, a clear rebuke of those who oppose compassion toward migrants.

Politico reported on May 10, 2025, that the papal conclave deliberately selected a new leader for the Church who could stand up to Trump’s agenda, particularly on immigration.

One cardinal told the newspaper that clerics were initially “reluctant” about electing a pope from the United States, but ultimately settled on someone they believed could, plausibly, act as a counterweight against the impulsive U.S. president. 

The move came in response to Trump’s unusual interference in the conclave, including calls for an American pope and the circulation of a satirical image of himself dressed as the pontiff.

According to Politico, the cardinals didn’t choose an American because of Trump’s pressure, but precisely because this one stood against his plans.

Progressive cardinals recognized that Robert Prevost, born in Chicago and of mixed heritage, could offer a powerful countervoice to Trump.

While it was not the driving factor behind the decision, which was guided by subtler internal considerations, having an American pope who could provide a counterweight to the rhetoric of Trump was a “supplementary gift,” one of the clerics told Politico, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk about private discussions. 

A Contrasting Vision

When the newly elected pope stepped onto the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the world was taken by surprise. For decades, it was a given that the College of Cardinals would never select an American, according to CNN.

The U.S. is viewed as a dominant force—militarily, diplomatically, and culturally. But the idea of one of its citizens leading one of the most powerful religious institutions on Earth—representing a Catholic population more than three times the size of the United States—seemed implausible.

Even among Trump’s “Make America Great Again” base, the new pope is not seen as representing “America First.” Despite being American, his views stand in sharp contrast to the ideology that dominates current U.S. politics.

The New York Times explained on May 9 that Pope Leo XIV’s focus on refugees and his multicultural background could present an alternative vision of American values, one that diverges from the president’s hardline agenda.

The paper went so far as to call him a “potential contrast to Trump on the world stage,” arguing that while the president has tarnished America’s reputation abroad and strained long-standing alliances, the new pope might offer a moral alternative.

“While two Americans now sit in positions of enormous global influence, Pope Leo XIV may offer the world a different view of U.S. values from Mr. Trump’s America First approach, which he has executed through stiff tariffs, imperialist musings and vast cuts to foreign aid,” as per NYT.

There are also signs that the new pope rejects many of Trump’s hardline stances. Social media accounts linked to him have reposted messages critical of the president’s positions on immigration, gun control, and climate change.

Still, Vatican analysts say Pope Prevost is more restrained than his predecessor. While they expect him to continue championing migrants and the poor, some doubt he’ll do so with the same outspoken passion as Pope Francis.

John Prevost, the pope’s brother, told The New York Times in an interview that he did not think his brother would shy away from voicing his disagreements with the president.

“I know he’s not happy with what’s going on with immigration,” he said. “I know that for a fact. How far he’ll go with it is only one’s guess, but he won’t just sit back. I don’t think he’ll be the silent one.”

Opposed to Trump

But which policies is Pope Leo XIV expected to oppose against President Trump?

Observers predict that Leo will continue the humanitarian and tolerant approach of the papacy, especially toward historically persecuted groups such as immigrants—a stance that angers the “Make America Great Again” movement.

Unlike the isolationist stance of the U.S. president, Leo XIV is also expected to carry on the policy of his predecessor, Francis, by empowering local churches in regions like Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

While the Trump administration has worked to cut aid programs for the sick, (eliminating USAID initiatives in Africa), the new Catholic Church leader has made serving the poor his mission, which conflicts sharply with the president’s vision.

Trump’s statements have raised concern among clergy in Rome, particularly regarding the destructive impact of U.S. policies on the Catholic Church in America.

In recent years, the American Church has been divided into warring factions: progressive hardliners and conservatives loyal to the “Make America Great Again” movement.

Conservatives have claimed persecution under Pope Francis and openly challenged his leadership, leading some to wonder whether the American Church might eventually sever ties decisively with the Vatican.

Church estimates suggest the new pope will follow in his predecessor’s footsteps on many issues. Being originally from Peru and identified with the Global South, he was responsible for appointing 80% of the cardinals in the papal college.

These cardinals are expected to back his plans for continuity and the so-called “reform approach” established by the previous pope.

Marxist Pope!

Trump supporters fiercely attacked the new pope, labeling him a “Marxist,” much like they describe the president’s congressional opponents as “leftists.”

Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer who has Trump’s ear, swaying the president on top personnel decisions, called the new Pope “anti-Trump, anti-Maga, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.”

Loomer is not Catholic but Jewish, and she frequently posts anti-Islam and anti-immigrant content on social media, often launching racist attacks.

“I mean it’s kind of jaw-dropping,” Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon told the BBC, speaking of Leo's election.

“It is shocking to me that a guy could be selected to be the Pope that had had the Twitter feed and the statements he's had against American senior politicians,” said Bannon, a hard-right Trump loyalist, practising Catholic and former altar boy.

Catholics make up about 20% of the U.S. population, yet only two presidents have been Catholic, John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden, along with the current vice president, J.D. Vance.

Referring to Pope Francis’s sharp criticism of immigration policies, Bannon said, “Remember, President Trump was not shy about taking a shot at Pope Francis.”

“So if this Pope - which he will do - tries to come between President Trump and his implementation of the mass deportation program, I would stand by.”

Though most “Make America Great Again” supporters are not Catholic, they hold significant influence in the White House, and their criticism of the new pope could signal a future clash between him and Trump.

Before becoming Pope, Cardinal Prevost’s social media accounts criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

Months before his papacy, Prevost challenged J.D. Vance, publishing an article that called Vance’s interpretation of Christian doctrine “wrong.”

The piece, published in The National Catholic Reporter, refuted Vance’s use of Catholic teachings to justify the Trump administration’s deportation policies.

In April 2025, he also shared a comment from a Catholic writer questioning whether Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele had seen the “suffering” caused by their immigration policies.