The Catholics have a new Pope. And for the first time in the history of the church it is an American. The Cardinal College only took two days to the US cardinal Robert Prevost to vote as the successor of Pope Francis. Prevost, who assumed the name Leo XIV, was by no means a favorite for the papal office. And while the world is trying to learn more about the new Pontifex, it becomes clear that it has at least a very American habit: post.
Early social media activities: Prevosts Twitter start under Benedict XVI.
Prevost seems to be an active user of Twitter since 2011, now known as X. The first tweets of the Accounts @DRPrevost date from the term of office of Pope Benedict XVI. They contain rather banal updates such as “in Rome, Council meetings”.
Political positioning: criticism of Donald Trump and conservative US policy
Prevost also used the platform to criticize Donald Trump and the immigration policy of his government. In 2015 tweet Prevost an article in which he criticized the “problematic” “enemy of immigration” by the then candidate Trump.
2015: Prevosts tweets on Trump’s immigration policy and Christian morality
In a current Contribution from February 2025who has been viral since Prevost’s promotion, he wrote that Vice President JD Vance – a politician converted in adults to Catholicism – with his attempts to find theological justification for the treatment of migrants by the government, was “wrong”. “Jesus does not ask us to evaluate our love for others,” wrote Prevost. (He added one second post In addition, in which he criticized Vance’s misunderstanding of the teaching of “Ordo Amoris”.
In his last post before entering the conclave criticized Prevost Trump and the Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele to have taken the deportation and detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia lightly. Prevost linked an article the Catholic Standard website, in which the emergency and persecution of immigrant and refugee communities were compared with the passion of Jesus Christ.
Environment, Business & Church: Prevost’s Twitter engagement 2013 to 2017
The reaction of the Maga rights-which have also been in recent years A preference developed for ultra-conservative Catholicism-was immediately and predictable.
“Woke Marxist Pope” (Woke-Marxist Pope), wrote Laura Loomer-a right-wing extremist 9/11 conscientious theorist who is so close to Trumpthat they advises on personnel decisions in the field of national security. In another Contribution wrote Loomer that Prevost was “just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican”. And “Catholics would not have to expect anything good”.
Sean Davis, founder of the right -wing website The Federalist, wrotehe was afraid that the cardinals would “choose a left-wing, Western European Pope. To abuse the Roman Catholic Church. To counteract the rise of national populism in general and Trump in particular. And to strengthen the global powers against those who believe that the purpose of a country is to protect their own people”.
“The new Pope was born in America. Not in Western Europe. So I was wrong at this point. But I’m afraid that I was right in all other points,” he wrote.
2013: Retweet of a criticism of capitalism in the context of Catholic social teaching
The right-wing commentator Megyn Kelly, who was initially enthusiastic about the election of an American Pope, later wondered whether it was “too much to hope that a 20-year-old manages the X account of the new Pope and never looks at him”.
Through his tweets and retweets, Prevost interfered in several explosive topics of American politics. From weapons control to the death penalty to climate change and the murder of George Floyd.
In 2013 retweeted he an anti -capitalist political caricature. Pope Francis can be seen next to a poster with the inscription “Greed is not good” (greed is not good). Behind him are three men in suits with briefcases on which “Wall Street”, “Banks” and “Big Biz” are located. The men point to the Pope. And call: “Blasphemy!”
2015: Support for Catholic Climate Patition
In 2015 tweet Prevost support for environmental protection within the church. He wrote: “Signs the Catholic climate patient”.
2017: Statements about the LAS Vegas shooting and Charlottesville-Starrussen
In 2017, after the mass murder at a music festival in Las Vegas, retweeted Prevost the Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Who criticized the Republicans and their trust in divine intervention to solve gun violence. “To act on my colleagues. “None of this will end if we do nothing to stop it.”
2020: George Floyd, racism and the role of the church
In 2017, after the racist riots in Charlottesville, Prevost returned the conviction “The hideous acts of hate” by the American bishops’ conference. In 2020 retweeted Prevost prayers for murdered George Floyd and his family. And published A call to more “managers in the church to reject racism and demand justice”.
Of course, the Pope is still Catholic. Prevosts social media channels also contain a flood of anti-abbreviation posts. How a memein which the letters “B” and “R” in “Abortion” were replaced by “adoption”. In another post, Prevost shared a now defective link to the Weiße House website with the caption: “revoking the order of the Ministry of Health, according to which Catholic employers have to provide their employees with contraceptives/abortion agents”. The new Pope also has To abolish called the death penalty.
Trump and Vance have reacted a little more diploma to the choice of Prevost than their supporters on the Internet.
February 2025: Prevost criticizes JD Vance and “Ordo Amoris” misinterpretation
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who has just been appointed Pope”, wrote Trump. It is a great honor to know that he is the first American Pope. What excitement and what a great honor for our country. I look forward to it, Pope Leo XIV. to meet. That will be a very important moment! “
Official congratulations from Trump and Vance
The awesome tone was a U -turn for Trump. The president recently had blasphemy Guarded by saying reporters that he would like to be elected Pope himself. And even has A AI-generated picture Posted in papal robe.
“Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, for his choice!” wrote Vance. “I am sure that millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work at the top of the church. God may bless him!”
Vance is reminiscent of the meeting with Francis shortly before his death
Vance met Pope Francis the day before his death. On the same day Francis called in his Easter greeting To mercy towards migrants on.
Prevost’s digital future is uncertain
Prevost will probably no longer publish any contributions on his personal social media accounts, since he has now taken over the office of the head of the World Church. But who knows. Perhaps a committed post in the pontificate is exactly what the Catholic Church needs.