During a press conference on Monday, May 12, Pope Leo XIV offered a concise response when questioned about his message for America.
In his dialogue with the press, the newly elected Pope appeared to make veiled references to President Donald Trump.
“The way we communicate is of fundamental importance,” he remarked concerning the Church’s interaction with the media. “We must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.”
He further elaborated: “Let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism, and even hatred; let us free it from aggression.”
“We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice.”
His comments sparked speculation that the reference to ‘loud, forceful communication’ might have been directed at Trump, known for his outspoken presence on social media.
Recently, on Truth Social, Trump suggested that his presidential campaign played a role in Pope Leo’s rise to the papacy.
After the conference, Pope Leo, who holds the distinction of being the first American pope, was queried if he had a specific message for the United States.
He succinctly responded, “Many,” followed by, “God bless you all.”
The pope’s brief statement has since garnered attention online. One individual described it as ‘menacing’, stating, “This is the most menacing thing I’ve seen a Pope say in my entire life.”
Another person noted, “You know it’s serious when even the Pope sounds like he’s got receipts and plans,” while a third remarked, “This wasn’t a message this was a warning disguised as a blessing and I’m shook.”
Someone else added, “I’ve never heard two syllables sound more powerful and unsettling at the same time.”
Some analysts foresee that Pope Leo may present a challenge to Trump’s ideology.
UK theologian Professor Anna Rowlands suggested that the pope might avoid direct confrontation while still challenging political views.
From Rome, she shared with the PA news agency: “I think he might have this way of being quite a disarming presence. He’s gentle, he’s thoughtful. He’s almost all the opposite characteristics to Trump.”
“Consider someone who’s quiet, not boisterous, someone who carefully considers their words, someone who is centred.
There’s a kind of serenity about him. And he’s very unassuming. He’s almost exactly the opposite human characteristics to Donald Trump, and that could work in an interesting way.”
Professor Rowlands continued, “He’s unlikely to be confrontational, I think, because of his nature, and yet I think the content of what he says will be quite challenging.”
She added, “I think he won’t want to simply judge Donald Trump. I think he will genuinely want to engage in a fruitful dialogue towards genuine human good, a just peace, security in the world, a genuine orientation towards real values – those are the kind of things he will want to enter into dialogue with the US administration on.”