President Trump Reacts to Catholic Church Picking the First American Pope in History

Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago was announced as Pope Leo XIV on Thursday, May 8

President Donald Trump is sharing his satisfaction with the election of the first-ever American pope.

Following the news that the papal conclave had reached a two-thirds consensus and selected Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost to be the new pope on Thursday, May 8, Trump took to social media to express his approval.

President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV.Win McNamee/Getty; ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty

“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” the United States president wrote on Truth Social. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

When white smoke rose from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, onlookers knew the two-day conclave had drawn to an end. A short time later, the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals stepped out on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announced “habemus papam,” which means “we have a pope.”

Prevost, who chose the papal name Leo XIV, then addressed the Vatican crowd for the first time, saying, “Peace be with you.”

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, on May 8, 2025.GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty

The 69-year-old pontiff was born in Chicago, and started his religious journey there. He previously served in Peru — and has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru — before being appointed president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in 2023.

Trump previously joked that he would nominate himself to be the new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

“I’d like to be pope,” he joked with reporters. “That would be my number one choice.”

Then taking the question more seriously, Trump hinted that he was rooting for an American pope — just not Cardinal Prevost in particular.

“I must say we have a cardinal who happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good,” he told reporters on April 29, seemingly referring to New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. “We’ll see what happens.”

Dolan offered the invocation during Trump’s second inauguration ceremony in January. He also led Pope Francis’ funeral mass service at New York City’s famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday, April 26.

Religious experts previously told PEOPLE that the appointment of an American pope was highly unlikely to happen.

“I think that there’s no chance for an American pope just because the United States is already so powerful in the world,” said Dr. Bill Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies at DePaul University just before the conclave began.