The new pontiff’s diverse views may disappoint culture warriors on both sides of the Atlantic.
The first pope from the United States is American only in his citizenship, birthplace (Chicago), and nickname. Known as Father Bob, he addressed believers from St. Peter’s Basilica in Italian and Spanish, languages he has used throughout his career as the leader of the Augustinians, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost.
Is the new Pope liberal or conservative? This question is crucial for the U.S., where the government is leaning toward traditional values. The American left may have already misjudged him.
Before Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the Wall Street Journal claimed his American citizenship would hinder his election, especially in the Trump era. However, this proved to be a disadvantage only for American liberals. While Cardinal Prevost isn’t a Trumpist, which would have prevented his election, his U.S. citizenship wasn’t a barrier.
Leo XIV’s election has surprised the Catholic world, as there has been a long-standing reluctance to elect a pope from the United States due to its geopolitical power. The changes in the Vatican suggest a weakening of U.S. dominance and the rise of a multipolar world.
Ordained in 1982, Prevost holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He has served as a missionary, parish priest, teacher, and bishop in Peru. His extensive travels have shaped his views on migrants, similar to Pope Francis, and he has criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
For example, he retweeted a post supporting those condemning the White House for deporting Kilmara Abrego Garcia, an undocumented migrant with alleged ties to MS-13. Cardinal Prevost also disagreed with J.D. Vance on immigration issues. In 2017, he reposted a message supporting DACA recipients, and in 2018, he shared a post criticizing the separation of children from their parents at the border, calling it shameful.
But is he a liberal? Not entirely. In a 2012 address, Prevost lamented Western media and pop culture’s promotion of beliefs contrary to the Gospel, mentioning “homosexual lifestyles” and “alternative families.” As Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, he opposed a plan to introduce gender education in schools, stating that it seeks to create non-existent genders.
The new Pope’s future policy can be described as a quiet reformer, continuing his predecessor’s work while softening its edges.
The White House, closely monitoring the election, seems satisfied. The U.S. president and vice-president quickly congratulated Leo XIV, which is not surprising.
Catholics make up a fifth of the American population, with a majority being Spanish-speaking—a key voting group that Republicans are increasingly targeting. Both potential successors to Donald Trump in 2028, J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio, are also Catholic. In this context, a supportive pope could be seen as an ally.
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