President Trump offered his congratulations on Thursday after a new pope was chosen.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be called Pope Leo XIV, is the 267th pope and is the first from the U.S. Crowds cheered as they watched white smoke emerge from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, announcing that a new pope had been chosen.
In a Truth Social post, Trump congratulated Prevost after the announcement and acknowledged the honor of selecting a pope from the U.S.
“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!” Trump said.
The new pope is from Chicago and has worked as a missionary in South America. He succeeds Pope Francis, the 266th pope, who was elected in 2013 and served until his death in April 2025.
The selection of a new pope began on Wednesday as the College of Cardinals met in Vatican City to start the election process. Black smoke emerges from the Sistine Chapel chimney after each round of voting, which does not result in the election of a new pope. Once the election is complete, the black smoke is replaced with white smoke, which signals to the watching crowds that a new pope has been chosen. Deliberations took place for nearly 24 hours before the announcement was made.
After his election, Pope Leo XIV emphasized his intentions to pursue a mission of peace during his papacy. He called on Catholics to bring peace to “all peoples” and work on “building bridges.”
