Leo XIV’s election reveals details about US power
(MENAFN) The newly elected Pope Leo XIV has made history as the first-ever pope from the United States, though his background reveals a far more global identity than his Chicago birthplace might suggest. Known affectionately as “Father Bob,” Pope Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost—delivered his first address in Italian and Spanish, the languages he has used throughout his decades of service around the world, particularly during his leadership of the Augustinian order.
His election has sparked intense debate over whether he aligns more with liberal or conservative values—an especially pointed question in a politically polarized America, where religious influence in governance has been growing. Notably, Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to the Vatican just before Pope Francis’s death and prayer-led press briefings by Trump’s administration show how faith has been integrated into U.S. politics.
American liberal media misread the situation. Just before the conclave, The Wall Street Journal dismissed Prevost’s chances, suggesting that in the Trump era, an American passport would be a liability for a papal candidate. Yet, his election proves otherwise. Still, labeling him a Trump ally would be inaccurate—such an affiliation would likely have blocked his path to the papacy.
Leo XIV’s election also marks the breaking of a long-standing informal rule against choosing a U.S. citizen as pope due to the country’s global dominance. That taboo falling may signal not only a Vatican shift but also a reflection of America’s waning unilateral influence in an increasingly multipolar world.
Prevost’s personal history is diverse and international. Ordained in 1982, he earned a doctorate in canon law in Rome and spent many years serving in Peru as a missionary, priest, and bishop. His experiences have shaped a nuanced stance on migration, reminiscent of Pope Francis. He has openly criticized harsh U.S. immigration policies, including retweeting posts opposing the deportation of undocumented immigrants and supporting DACA recipients.
Yet, despite these progressive views, Prevost is not strictly liberal. He has firmly opposed Western cultural shifts, including media acceptance of same-sex relationships and gender ideology. While serving in Peru, he criticized the government’s gender education initiatives, stating that gender categories being promoted "do not exist" and warning of moral confusion.
Thus, Pope Leo XIV represents a complex figure—neither wholly liberal nor conservative. His papacy may signal a broader transformation in both Vatican politics and the global balance of power.
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