Trump congratulates Pope Leo XIV, calls his election 'a great honor' for the United States

President Donald Trump congratulated the caller Pope Leo XIV aft helium was selected Thursday, noting it is "a large honor" for the United States that an American-born cardinal was selected to beryllium Francis' successor. 

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was conscionable named Pope. It is specified an grant to recognize that helium is the archetypal American Pope," Trump said connected his Truth Social level soon aft achromatic fume emerged from the Vatican indicating the conclave had travel to a determination connected who volition pb the Catholic Church. 

"It is specified an grant to recognize that helium is the archetypal American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look guardant to gathering Pope Leo XIV. It volition beryllium a precise meaningful moment!"

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Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, present Pope Leo XVI, and President Donald Trump (Getty Images | Fox News)

Trump added to reporters astatine the White House that helium was "a small spot surprised" by the enactment of Cardinal Prevost, but reiterated aggregate times what an grant the enactment was for America. 

"What greater grant could determination be?" Trump posited to reporters. He besides told them that the medication has already been successful interaction with the Vatican and expects to person the president sojourn the caller pope successful the future. It was not made wide however soon that gathering mightiness instrumentality place.

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, besides congratulated the caller pope connected his enactment Thursday. 

NY BISHOP SAYS POPE LEO XIV'S BACKGROUND WILL BE ‘INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL’

"Congratulations to Leo XIV, the archetypal American Pope, connected his election!" Vance said connected X. "I’m definite millions of American Catholics and different Christians volition commune for his palmy enactment starring the Church. May God bless him!"

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, astatine the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Remo Casilli/Reuters)

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Pope Leo XIV was calved successful Chicago and anterior to his papal assignment helium served arsenic the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops nether Pope Francis, which advises the pope connected bishop appointments crossed the globe. In summation to Prevost, New York City Cardinal Timothy Dolan was besides floated arsenic a imaginable successor to Francis. 

In his archetypal address, Pope Leo XIV called connected Catholics to unrecorded arsenic missionaries and stressed that helium hopes to beryllium a builder of bid during his papacy. The caller pope besides asked Catholics to assistance him successful bringing bid to "all peoples," and participating successful dialog and "building bridges."

Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.