During a stroll through a crowd at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV was approached by NewsNation correspondent Robert Sherman on Monday. Sherman asked the new pontiff if he had any message for the United States.
“Many,” Leo replied with a smile.
After a brief pause, he added, “God bless you all.”
The interaction quickly went viral on social media as the first U.S.-born pope delivered a powerful address to a large audience of journalists.
In his speech, Leo emphasized the importance of protecting the “precious gift of free speech and the press” and urged reporters to communicate without prejudice, resentment, fanaticism, or hatred.
“We do not need loud, forceful communication,” the pope stated, “but rather communication that is capable of listening and amplifying the voices of the voiceless.”
Some individuals on social media speculated that Leo’s simple response of “many” could be interpreted as a subtle dig at Donald Trump, given the pontiff’s previous criticisms of the U.S. president and his inner circle.
In a past incident from 2015, Bishop Leo (prior to becoming pope) shared an opinion piece by Cardinal Timothy Dolan in The Washington Post titled “Why Donald Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Is So Problematic.” This was during Trump’s early presidential campaign.
More recently, Leo, now pope, shared an article critical of Trump’s vice president on social media in February, with the headline: “JD Vance Is Wrong: Jesus Doesn’t Ask Us To Rank Our Love For Others.”
Since his appointment as pope last week, Leo has not directly addressed Trump.
In response, Trump has attempted to insert himself into the narrative surrounding Leo’s conclave victory by seemingly taking credit for it.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Pope Leo XIV’s title in 2015. He was a bishop at that time.
