Podcast host Piers Morgan asked Pope Leo XIV's pro-Trump brother Lou Prevost if he has received any calls from the Vatican since his sibling's election asking him to tone down his support of the Republican president.
Following Pope Francis' death April 21 at 88, the Catholic Church's College of Cardinals gathered for conclave in the Sistine Chapel to choose his successor. When white smoke finally rose from the chapel's chimney Thursday, the new Pope was announced to the world as American Cardinal Robert Prevost, who took Leo XIV as his papal name.
Shortly after the Chicago-born Leo was revealed as the new pontiff, supporters of President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement began ripping the Holy Father's past social media posts that were critical of the U.S. leader and Vice President JD Vance.
On Monday's episode of "Piers Morgan Uncensored," Morgan highlighted some of the Pope's brother's own social media posts that feature strongly-worded, pro-Trump content and asked Prevost if he's been asked to quiet his pro-MAGA leanings online.
"October 24 showed a meme showing an asylum with the caption, 'Where the woke lived before the 70s,'" Morgan said. "Earlier this year, you reshared a post that said, 'Please pray for the 33% who approve of Biden that they be healed of their mental affliction.'
"And in August, you posted – referring to an alleged incident where illegal immigrants tried to hijack a bus of children – 'Between the gangs of the illegals creating all sorts of havoc without any punishment, the current administration just keeps letting criminals pour across our borders,'" he continued.
"This is the kind of stuff you would expect from a very pro-Trump MAGA supporter," Morgan added. "Probably not what people are used to from the Pope's brother. So, two questions: Have you had anyone from the Vatican call you and say, 'You've got to ease off the gas?' And will you be changing your social media strategy going forward?"
Prevost responded that no one from the Vatican has contacted him "yet," and said he's "hoping that it doesn't get that far" because sometimes he likes to "stir the pot, too, like I feel some of the people on the other side do."
"A lot like I think President Trump does," Prevost said. "He says things just to stir the pot. 'Cause it's fun to get into some of these debates with people sometimes from the other side. But no, like I said, going forward, I've realized, now that I see some of this coming back at me, that I should probably tone it down."
Pope Leo's brother said he's "backed off a lot of media" and doesn't see himself "really getting too much involved" in it, especially until he's had a chance "to actually talk with [his] brother and see ... what he thinks."
"He's well aware of my position," Prevost said. "He knows, I'm probably not going to change, and I don't think I will, other than to just, like you say, tone it down."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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