POPE Leo XIV is not in tune with President Donald Trump over some of his controversial policies, especially immigration, and wants to unite the world against oppression.

The Roman Catholic Church elected a new pope on the balcony above St Peter’s Square on Thursday after days of waiting. More than 1.4 billion Catholics around the world were elated as they got their 267th pontiff, ending a two-day conclave in Rome. The cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost, who has now become Leo XIV.

The interesting thing, however, is that being an American himself, the new Catholic Church helmsman had indirectly opposed President Trump and his vice, Mr JD Vance, over some of their policies and comments on immigration and Christianity.

On April 14 this year, the pope, while a cardinal, had retweeted an anti-Trump’s immigration post, which appeared to show what he believes about the American government’s policies. The post appeared on X, lampooning the Trump administration’s deportation of a US resident to El Salvador.

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He had also shared an anti-Trump comment written about a TV interview given by Vance to Fox News. “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” said the post, which he shared. He attached a link to an article by the National Catholic Reporter with that exact message .

Mr Vance had granted a controversial interview on Fox News on Jan. 29, making controversial statements about the concept of Christian love. He had said, “There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbour, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritise the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that.”

But this did not sit well with Pope Leo, then Cardinal Leo, who believes that ranking of love isn’t a Catholic — or even Christian practice. He retweeted a post criticising the U.S VP’s position. Mr Vance converted to the Catholic Church from atheism in 2019.

Another post from the new pontiff on February 13, had also explained the position of the gospel on immigration and discrimination. “Pope Francis’ letter, JD Vance’s ‘ordo amoris’ and what the Gospel asks of all of us on immigration,” it read, with a link to an article by American Magazine with the same headline, Irish Star reported.

In 2015, Prevost tweeted an article critical of the then Republican candidate, Mr Trump. The article had referred to Mr Trump’s stance as “problematic” and “anti-immigration rhetoric.”

Pope Leo on women’s role in the church

Cardinal Prevost had, in an October 2023 interview, answered a question regarding calls for women’s governance in the Catholic Church. He said that “clericalising women” might create more problems for the Catholic Church.

“And perhaps we need to look at a new understanding or different understanding of both leadership, power, authority, and service — above all service — in the Church from the different perspectives that can be, if you will, brought to the life of the Church by women and men,” he said.

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He had, however, responded to Pope Francis’ decision in 2022 to bring three women into the dicastery – a department within the administrative body of the Holy See.

Leo XIV noted that the role “contributes significantly to the process of discernment in looking for who we hope are the best candidates to serve the church in episcopal ministry.”

Can pope wield influence?

With the new pope against Trump’s discriminatory immigration policy, can he have an influence on the United States’ president? Religion expert, Dr Charles Sommer, said that he would not be able to influence Mr Trump, who he described as “possessed.”

He did not explain why he regarded President Trump as “possessed” and whether this was a religious concept or not.

“I think President Trump is possessed and can’t listen to anybody, not even pope, not even the first American who is elected into that positon,” Dr Sommer said.

“This was one of the reasons some Americans voted for him and I think he will be keen to fulfill his promises to the latter.”

However, an international political commentator, Mr Adigwe Onukwelu, said the pope had the capacity to influence President Trump. “Trump is smart. He did not criticise the pope when he was elected, even though he knew his position against him. He respects the position and knows the influence it can wield in the U.S. So, I think the body language of the pope may help,” he said.