'American Pope'

When Bishop Robert Francis Prevost was selected as the new pope in May 2025, President Trump was just over 100 days into his second term. Many people believed Prevost’s selection was a response to Trump’s reelection, with the idea that an American pope might be better positioned to challenge an American president. Nearly a year into Pope Leo’s papacy, he has indeed taken positions that appear to challenge the president on several key issues. For example, he recently criticized the policy of attacking Iran, though he did not mention either the president or the conflict directly. Instead, he stated that Jesus does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war—an apparent reference that many interpreted as directed at Trump. Is the relationship between the first American pope and the president of the United States getting off to a rocky start? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #398. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com