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Topics: Donald Trump, Pope Francis, Religion, US News, Pope Leo
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Donald Trump, Pope Francis, Religion, US News, Pope Leo
Donald Trump may've posted his stamp of approval for the new pope, but has he seen the resurfaced criticism of his own policies from Pope Francis' successor?
Pope Francis' successor was officially announced yesterday (May 8), with the role of head of the Catholic Church going to 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost - whose papal name is Pope Leo XIV.
Overjoyed with the news of the next pope being the first American in history to take the role, Donald Trump was quick to take to Truth Social in jubilation - despite joking about donning the miter himself alongside offending multiple Catholics with a 'blasphemous' AI-generated image, that is.
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However, resurfaced posts seemingly indicating the new pope's thoughts about Trump and his policies have since come to light - the question is, has Trump seen and what would he say?
The new pope was born in Chicago in September, 1955, according to Vatican News.
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He studied at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, receiving a diploma in theology, before entering the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and giving his solemn vows in 1981.
He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1982 and obtained his licentiate in 1984, created a cardinal in 2024 by Pope Francis.
Some of Pope Leo's beliefs follow in a similar vein to those of his predecessor Pope Francis - the new pope a strong supporter of synodality - making the Church more inclusive and participatory, as per the College of Cardinal Report.
He has been outspoken about the urgent need for action to tackle climate change. However, when it comes to ordaining female deacons, Pope Leo has argued against 'clericalizing women'.
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And when it comes to blessing same sex couples, he's expressed reservations about 'sympathy for beliefs and practices that contradict the gospel'.
Pope Leo also seemingly has reservations about Trump's policies too, with multiple resurfaced tweets having come to light in recent days.
Most recently, Leo reposted a tweet which reads: "As Trump & Bukele use Oval to Feds’ illicit deportation of a US resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-DC Aux +Evelio asks, 'Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?'"
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The Independent also reported Leo as resharing a tweet which reads: "There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all."
The newly elected pope has also hit out at Trump's vice president JD Vance, resharing an op-ed from the National Catholic Reporter titled: "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."
The article came after comments Vance made to Fox News in February earlier this year, Vance saying: "There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world.
"A lot of the far left has completely inverted that."
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And Leo's apparent criticism of Trump's policies date even further back than that too, with one post being from 10 years ago.
In July 2015, Leo's account reposted an article by New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan for The Washington Post.
The article is titled: "Why Donald Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric is so problematic."
The resurfaced comments follow shortly after Trump took to Truth Social to react to the announcement of the newly appointed pope.
In a post to Truth Social, Trump wrote: "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.
"I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"