Last week, former Donald Trump strategist Steve Bannon mentioned that American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was considered one of the potential candidates to be elected pontiff. Never before had an American held that position in the Catholic Church.
In an interview in late April with Piers Morgan, titled "Should the next pope 'make the Vatican great again'?", Bannon pointed out that Prevost was "one of the most progressive" but was not being sufficiently considered. Although there has never been an American pope, Bannon mentioned that Leo XIV was on the short list and had an ideological closeness with Pope Francis, as well as extensive experience in Latin America.
Following the election of Leo XIV as the new pontiff, figures from the hard wing of the MAGA movement, such as Laura Loomer, criticized the pope, calling him "the Marxist pope." On the other hand, some of Trump's allies expressed their discontent with the pastoral direction that Francis' successor was taking. This discontent is striking, considering the little regard these critics have for the American church.
