Trump Welcomes Election of Leo XIV, First American Pope

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected pope on 8 May 2025, taking the name Leo XIV and becoming the first pontiff from the United States in the nearly 2,000-year history of the Roman Catholic Church. US President Donald Trump welcomed the decision in a post on Truth Social, calling the appointment "a great honor for our country" and saying he looked forward to meeting the new pope. Trump added that the moment was "exciting" and "meaningful" for the United States. Leo XIV’s election marks a milestone for the 1.3 billion-member Catholic Church, which until now had never chosen a pope from the United States.