Donald Trump is making an extraordinary claim: he says he played a part in the election of Pope Leo XIV, the newly appointed pontiff from Chicago. Even though Trump had no role in the Vatican’s traditional Conclave process, he’s insisting that he deserves credit for the historic choice.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday night, Trump lashed out at ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz after she suggested he had nothing to do with Pope Leo’s election. “So funny to watch old timer Martha Raditz on ABC Fake News (the Slopadopolus show!) this morning, blurt out that, effectively, Pope Leo’s selection had nothing to do with Donald Trump,” Trump wrote. “It came out of nowhere, but it was on her Trump Deranged Mind.”
He continued, “I did WIN the Catholic Vote, by a lot,” and called out Disney CEO Bob Iger, demanding he do something about the “losers and haters” on his network.
Trump’s comments came just hours before Pope Leo gave his first press conference on Monday morning. Addressing thousands of journalists at the Vatican, the new pontiff made a call for unity, rejecting the kind of aggressive and divisive rhetoric that has marked much of Trump’s political career.
“We do not need loud forceful communication,” Pope Leo stated, according to ABC News. “Let us disarm words. Let us disarm words and we will help the world disarm.” He emphasized the importance of communication that listens to the voices of the weak and marginalized, free from aggression, prejudice, and hatred.
“Let us free it from aggression,” Pope Leo continued. “We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice. Let us disarm words and we will help the world disarm.”
Leo’s stance comes at a time when many of Trump’s loyalists, particularly within the MAGA movement, have pushed back against the new pope. Critics like Laura Loomer have labeled him an “anti-Trump Marxist,” citing his criticisms of anti-immigrant rhetoric and right-wing politics.
Before his election as the 267th pope, Leo, then Cardinal Robert Prevost, had expressed his disapproval of anti-immigration narratives pushed by Trump and his supporters. In February, he shared an article with the headline: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” pushing back against the senator’s defense of Trump’s hardline immigration stance.
In 2016, Leo also posted an op-ed from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, titled “Why Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic.” It’s clear that Pope Leo has never shied away from taking a stand against the kind of rhetoric championed by Trump.
