Pope Leo XIV, the first US pontiff, has described himself as “the pope who happens to be American,” expressing deep affection for his home country while emphasizing his primary role as a universal church leader. In an interview with NBC during a prayer event at Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat near Rome, Leo discussed his family history and his relationship with the United States.
Family Roots and American Values
Leo revealed that his grandparents were immigrants, and on his mother's side, “we have people who were both slaves and slave owners.” When asked about the importance of his American identity, he said: “I think of myself more as the pope who happens to be American. Not to belittle what it means to be an American.” He added, “I have great love for America but I understand my mission as having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal church and having a voice and an opportunity to speak to people throughout the world.”
Praise for American Principles
Asked what he loves about the US, Leo cited “the sense of freedom, the sense of opportunity, the sense of having invited for generations people from around the world to be part of America.” Having grown up in the US and spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, he said he continues to hold these principles that “have been a part of being American for so many years.”
Criticism of Trump Policies
Since his election in May last year, the 70-year-old pontiff has repeatedly spoken up for migrants, calling Trump's immigration policies “inhuman.” Relations with the Trump administration worsened after Leo strongly condemned the US-Israeli war against Iran. In his first key address to the US on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, he praised the country's history of welcoming migrants while urging Americans to live up to the ideals of the declaration—a move seen as another rebuke to Trump.
Lampedusa Visit and White House Invitation
Leo marked 4 July with a brief visit to Lampedusa, a southern Italian island that is a major entry point for migrants crossing from north Africa. He has yet to accept Trump's invitation to the White House, extended by Vice-President JD Vance during a Vatican meeting after Leo's inaugural papal mass. Leo told NBC that no trip has been planned, but he hopes to visit the US soon.
