As Pope Leo XIV walked by way of a crowd on the Vatican on Monday, NewsNation correspondent Robert Sherman requested the brand new pontiff if he had “any message for the US.”
“Many,” Leo replied with a smile.
Then, after a brief pause, he added: “God bless you all.”
The brief trade — which went viral on social media ― got here as the primary U.S.-born pope delivered a powerful address to 1000’s of journalists.
Leo known as in his speech for the safety of “the dear present of free speech and the press” and urged reporters to “disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred.”
“We don’t want loud, forceful communication,” the pope added, “however moderately communication that’s able to listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who haven’t any voice.”
Some folks on social media interpreted Leo’s one-word reply — “many” — as a potential jab at Donald Trump, noting the pontiff’s previous criticism of the U.S. president and his prime allies.
In 2015, Leo (then a bishop) shared an opinion piece from The Washington Post by Cardinal Timothy Dolan titled “Why Donald Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Is So Problematic.” Trump on the time was early in his first presidential run.
Extra lately, in February, the now-pope posted on social media an article essential of Trump’s vp, headlined: “JD Vance Is Fallacious: Jesus Doesn’t Ask Us To Rank Our Love For Others.”
Leo is but to straight deal with Trump since he was elected pope final week.
Trump, for his half, has predictably tried to insert himself into the narrative of Leo’s conclave victory by apparently trying to take credit for it.
Correction: An earlier model of this publish misstated Pope Leo XIV’s title from 2015. He was a bishop at the moment.
