Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, has sparked attention with his comments on Donald Trump and JD Vance’s stance on immigration. Before becoming the first American Pope, Prevost used his social media platform to express dissent from their policies.
“JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” Prevost posted, sharing an op-ed that rebuked Vance’s claim that Christian love should prioritize family and citizens above others. The op-ed argued that such a hierarchy distorts scripture and contradicts Jesus’ teachings, which emphasize love beyond borders and bloodlines.
Another post shared Prevost’s condemnation of Trump’s actions on immigration, specifically an Oval Office meeting where Trump laughed about the deportation of a US resident. Washington Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar’s essay described the US government’s immigration crackdown as a campaign of “shock and awe” and likened it to Christ’s Passion. Menjivar wrote, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”
As Pope Leo XIV, Prevost’s early signals have sparked hope among LGBTQ+ people and immigrants’ advocates, who are now wondering whether he will turn these sentiments into public leadership.