First American pope: The world reacts

FIRST REMARKS: Pope Leo XIV speaks at Vatican

American Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, speaks at Vatican in his first remarks to the public after being selected pope.

Pope Leo XIV has overcome a historic taboo to become the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church. 

Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, was elected as the 267th pope Thursday in the third round of voting by the College of Cardinals. 

A Chicago native, Leo XIV is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop. 

Why has there never been an American pope before now? 

Big picture view:

Given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere, the notion of an American pope has long been frowned upon. 

Prevost, however, had prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have. Pope Francis brought Robert Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Image

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The backstory:

Prevost was twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinians, the 13th century religious order founded by St. Augustine. Francis clearly had an eye on him for years, moving him from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014 to serve as the administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo.

He remained in that position, acquiring Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to assume the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. In that job he would have kept in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in the part of the world that counts the most Catholics.

New pope: American Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV

A new pope has been named in the Vatican as the 2025 conclave comes to a close. An American Cardinal, from Chicago, Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV is the new pope.

Ever since arriving in Rome, Prevost has kept a low public profile, but he was well known to the men who count.

RELATED: Who is Cardinal Robert Prevost? Leo XIV is first American pope

Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

Trump reacts to first American pope

What they're saying:

President Donald Trump celebrated the first American pope on his Truth Social social media platform and later made remarks to reporters. 

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. 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!"

President Trump remarks after American elected pope

President Trump spoke to reporters outside of the White House after American Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the next pope. President Trump called it a "great honor." Prevost will take the papal name Leo XIV.

"To have the pope from the United States of America, that's a great thing, a great honor," Trump told reporters outside the White House. 

Dig deeper:

Cardinal Prevost's last post on X, formerly Twitter, was a repost of an opinion piece criticizing the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies. He also shared other op-eds that were critical of Trump’s and Vice President JD Vance’s immigration stances.