His background in Latin America shaped his stance. He once shared a Peruvian bishops’ letter thanking the U.S. for ending child separation at the border, noting, “In our Latin American region… we have experience dealing with migration.”
Though considered a reformer in Pope Francis’s mold, Leo XIV has yet to comment on other church issues like same-sex unions or female clergy.
Trump and JD Vance congratulated him despite ideological differences. Prevost addressed the crowd in Spanish and Italian, saying simply: “Peace be with you.” The Vatican crowd responded with cheers of “Leon, Leon!” and “Viva il papa!”
