Pope Leo XIV Didn't Spare Trump Administration Criticism On Social Media — Now The President Says He's 'Excited' And Looking Forward To Meeting The First American Catholic Pontiff

On Thursday, Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, became the first American pope — despite previously using social media to push back on Donald Trump-era policies, the president says he looks forward to their historic meeting.

What Happened: A review of Pope Leo XIV’s social media history on X, formerly Twitter, revealed that Prevost had shared or reposted messages over the years that criticized several Trump administration policies, reported The Hill.

Among his posts were:

Articles disputing Vice President JD Vance's interpretations of Christian teachings.

See Also: Pope Francis, The People’s Pope, Dies At 88: Tributes Pour In From Trump, King Charles, Tim Cook, Joe Biden, Jimmy Fallon, And More

Links criticizing anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Messages opposing the death penalty and reposting a post on migrant deportations

He also highlighted Congress's inaction on gun laws following deadly shootings by reposting a post.

In a 2023 interview with the Vatican News Service, Prevost acknowledged the influence — and risk — of using social media as a religious leader, the report noted. 

"Social media can be an important tool to communicate the Gospel message, reaching millions of people," he said. "At the same time… we really have to think several times before speaking or before writing a message… to answer or even just to ask questions in a public form, in full view of everyone."

He added, "Sometimes there is a risk of fueling divisions and controversy."

Why It's Important: On Thursday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he looked forward to meeting the new pontiff, writing, "It will be a very meaningful moment!"

Vice President Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, had been among the last to meet Pope Francis before his death on April 21 and called the experience "a great honor and a sign from God."

Photo Courtesy: Joshua Sukoff On Shutterstock.com

Read Next:

• Pope Leo XIV-Themed Memecoins Surge After US-Born Robert Francis Prevost Becomes Rome’s New Bishop

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.