Pope Leo XIV was branded as ‘anti-MAGA woke Marxist puppet’ by a Donald Trump fan just hours after the historic election.
The newly elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV. Credit: Christopher Furlong / Getty
On May 8, white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the conclave of 133 cardinals had reached its decision.
The 69-year-old Chicago-born cleric, whose real name is Robert Prevost, was announced as the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church and introduced to the world as Pope Leo XIV.
His first words from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica were ones of unity and peace: “Peace be with all of you. Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I would like to offer a greeting of peace to reach your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you.”
But while President Donald Trump quickly praised the appointment, calling it a “Great Honor for our Country” and stating he looked forward to meeting the new pope, far-right commentator Laura Loomer was far less congratulatory.
Loomer, who has been banned from multiple social platforms and even Uber for her inflammatory rhetoric, took to X (formerly Twitter) to rage against the new pontiff
“THIS IS THE NEW POPE! His name is Robert Prevost. He’s the first American Pope. He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis,” she wrote.
“Catholics don’t have anything good to look forward to. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican,” Loomer added.
The backlash appears to stem from Prevost’s past criticism of Trump-era immigration policies.
The Independent also reported that he previously reshared a tweet condemning the separation of migrant children from their families, writing: “There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name, and the shame is on us all.”
He also reposted an op-ed titled “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” taking aim at Trump’s current running mate.
In addition to this, he retweeted a post that questioned whether Trump and his administration “see the suffering” caused by their policies.
“As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [laughing crying emoji] Feds’ illicit deportation of a U.S. resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadoran himself, no-DC Aux+Evelio asks, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscious not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?” the post read.
Pope Leo XIV is the first American pope. Credit: Marco Mantovani / Getty
Despite the criticism, Pope Leo XIV’s election has been hailed as a milestone moment.
His decision to take the name “Leo” draws a clear line to Pope Leo XIII, the 19th-century pope known for his intellectual contributions and his landmark social doctrine encyclical Rerum Novarum.
Vatican spokesperson Father Vito Crincoli explained: “Looking to the history, Leos were strong popes. Like Leo XIII, he loved his people. His people, he considered man not a machine. A man’s work was a reflection of his dignity,” per ABC News.
In his first remarks, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need for the Church to become a welcoming space: “We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges (and) dialogue, always open to receive (people), like this square, with open arms – everyone, all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.”
He also addressed his former diocese in Peru in Spanish, thanking “a loyal people” who “shared its faith and has given a lot.”
While considered progressive on some social issues, Pope Leo XIV is widely seen as a centrist – a leader capable of navigating the Church’s many internal divisions.
He has advocated for the inclusion of women in Vatican leadership, calling their participation “real, genuine, and meaningful,” and has acknowledged that while progress has been made on clerical abuse reform, “there is still much to learn”