Trump and Pope Leo are among Earth's most powerful Americans. They lead in different roles and realms
The motto of one newly elected American world leader: " Fight! " The other introduced himself to the world with his first public word as pope: " Peace."
The contrast between US President Donald Trump and Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV couldn't be more stark — politically, personally or in their world views. They lead in different roles and realms.
But Leo's historic election last week to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics as the first US-born pope means that the two most powerful people on the planet are Americans. That raises questions about American influence at a time when Trump's tariff wars and "one way or the other" threats have upended eight decades of global order and sparked distrust among allies toward the United States.
The prospect of too much American power in geopolitics is widely considered one reason that the Catholic Church had not elected an American to the papacy across the country's nearly 250-year history.
Until, that is, the former Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of Chicago — Pope Leo XIV — was chosen last week to be the 267th pontiff.
"The irony of Leo's election is that many in the rest of the world will view it as a sign of hope — as an American who can speak for them rather than act against them," said David Gibson, director of Fordham University's Center on Religion and Culture.
Pope Leo is another kind of American on world stage
The shock and delight of the not-well-known cardinal's election soon shifted into robust discussion about how the top of the global pecking order could be populated by two Americans.
Trump is known to not enjoy sharing attention or primacy, as his "America first" foreign policy approach makes clear. American Catholics chose Trump over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.
In one apparent appeal to them, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself dressed as a pope during the days of mourning for Pope Francis, who died April 21. The move was not appreciated by some Catholics and Italians. Trump denied posting the image himself and said anyone who was offended "can't take a joke." He insisted that "the Catholics loved it."
Even so, Trump wished Leo well and called it a "great honor" that the new pope was American.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
15 minutes ago
- Mint
Canada plans to hit NATO spending target early, reduce US defence reliance, Carney says
Toronto, Canada will meet NATO's military spending guideline by early next year and diversify defence spending away from the United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday. Carney said Canada will achieve NATO's spending target of 2 per cent of gross domestic product five years earlier than it had previously planned. 'Our military infrastructure and equipment have aged, hindering our military preparedness," Carney said. "Only one of our four submarines is seaworthy. Less than half of our maritime fleet and land vehicles are operational. More broadly we are too reliant on the United States." According to NATO figures, Canada was estimated to be spending 1.33 per cent of GDP on its military budget in 2023, below the 2 per cent target that NATO countries have set for themselves. Canada previously said it was on track to meet NATO's spending target by the end of the decade. 'Our goal is to protect Canadians, not to satisfy NATO accountants,' Carney said. The announcement of increased spending came as Canada is about to host a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations in Alberta on June 15-17, and before the NATO summit in Europe. It also comes as NATO allies are poised to increase the commitment well beyond the 2 per cent target. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said last week that most US allies at NATO endorse US President Donald Trump's demand that they invest 5 per cent of gross domestic product on their defence needs and are ready to ramp up security spending even more. Carney has said that he intends to diversify Canada's procurement and enhance the country's relationship with the EU. 'We should no longer send three quarters of our defence capital spending to America,' Carney said in a speech at the University of Toronto. 'We will invest in new submarines, aircraft, ships, armed vehicles and artillery, as well as new radar, drones and sensors to monitor the seafloor and the Arctic.' Canada has been in discussions with the European Union to join an EU drive to break its security dependency on the United States, with a focus on buying more defence equipment, including fighter jets, in Europe. Carney's government is reviewing the purchase of U.S. F-35 fighter jets to see if there are other options. Carney said that the US 'is beginning to monetize its hegemony: charging for access to its markets and reducing its contributions to our collective security.' 'Middle powers compete for interests and attention, knowing that if they are not at the table, they will be on the menu," Carney said. Trump's calls to make Canada the 51st US state have infuriated Canadians, and Carney won the job of prime minister after promising to confront the increased aggression shown by Trump. Carney said that the long-held view that Canada's geographic location will protect Canadians is becoming increasingly archaic. European allies and Canada have already been investing heavily in their armed forces, as well as on weapons and ammunition, since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. GRS GRS This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
America burning: LA reels under anti-immigration protests for third straight day despite Trump's National Guard order
For the third night in a row, downtown Los Angeles became the epicentre of chaos and confrontation as protests against US President 's immigration crackdown boiled over into violence, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs to subdue demonstrators. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Protesters set self-driving cars ablaze, blocked the 101 freeway, and clashed with law enforcement late into Sunday night, leaving parts of the city scorched and on edge. The flashpoint came after Trump took the extraordinary step of deploying the National Guard to California without the consent of the state's governor, an act not seen in decades. More than 300 troops arrived over the weekend, with 2,000 authorised and 500 US Marines on standby. By Monday morning, more than 150 people had been arrested in Los Angeles alone. The streets downtown were littered with scorched cars, shattered barricades, and graffiti-smeared buildings, evidence of a city pushed to the brink. Multiple Waymo taxis burn near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, following last night's immigration raid protest. (Pic credit: AP) 'Bring in the Troops!': Trump's overnight rant fuels firestorm The president, awake past midnight, raged on his Truth Social platform, calling protesters "thugs" and demanding mass arrests. "Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!" Trump wrote at 12.16 am. "ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!" he added minutes later. Trump invoked a rarely used legal provision, citing "a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States." Experts say it is the first time since 1965, when Lyndon B Johnson sent troops to Alabama during the civil rights movement, that a president has activated a state's National without its governor's request for domestic law enforcement purposes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now California governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move as a "serious breach of state sovereignty" and accused Trump of "manufacturing chaos and violence." Street battles and flames in the sky Downtown Los Angeles witnessed hours of pitched street battles on Sunday. Demonstrators pelted law enforcement with rocks, concrete slabs, electric scooters, and fireworks. In return, officers used crowd-control munitions to disperse them. Several vehicles, including at least four self-driving Waymo cars, were torched, their lithium batteries exploding into dark columns of smoke. People take cover as a fire work explodes during a protest near the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, Sunday. (Pic credit: AP) As night fell, protesters built makeshift barricades. The Los Angeles police department declared the area an unlawful assembly, and officers moved in as flashbangs echoed off buildings every few seconds. The guard was primarily stationed to protect federal buildings, including the downtown immigration detention centre, where many of the demonstrations have concentrated. A reporter hit and the world watches Among those caught in the crossfire was Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi of 9News, who was hit by a nonlethal round while reporting live. Footage shows an officer raising his weapon and firing at close range, causing Tomasi to cry out in pain and limp away from the police line. "You just f---ing shot the reporter," a voice behind the camera can be heard shouting. Tomasi later confirmed she was safe but described the atmosphere as "volatile and unpredictable." A tale of two cities Despite the unrest downtown, much of Los Angeles continued its usual rhythms on Sunday. A pride parade marched through West Hollywood, music echoed from the Hollywood Bowl, and families gathered for swim meets in the suburbs. But downtown told a different story, one of mounting civil strife and political collision. People throw debris at law enforcement officers while others take cover during a protest against a series of immigration raids that occurred over the weekend, in downtown Los Angeles. (Pic credit: AP) Symbolism and sovereignty: The protest message Many protesters were first- or second-generation immigrants. Waving Latin American flags, particularly the Mexican tricolor, they marched in solidarity with families affected by the new travel ban, which took effect Monday. The ban blocks citizens from 12 predominantly African and Middle Eastern nations from entering the US. While Trump allies cast the flag-bearing protesters as outsiders or agitators, many said the flags were symbols of pride, not rebellion. Law enforcement caught in the middle Los Angeles police chief Jim McDonnell, while initially hesitant to welcome national guard support, acknowledged on Sunday night that "a reassessment" was needed. "This thing has gotten out of control," McDonnell said. "We have great cops in Southern California... but the level of violence we saw tonight is beyond anything we anticipated." As the sun rose Monday over scorched pavement and shuttered blocks, Los Angeles found itself at a historic crossroads—between federal force and state defiance, between protest and policing, between fear and fury. And with more demonstrations, the city's uneasy calm may not last for long.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
17 minutes ago
- First Post
Egypt shifting its capital from Cairo to a new city that China is building for it
Egypt is relocating its capital from Cairo to a new desert city, built and now operated by China. The New Administrative Capital, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, reflects deepening Sino-Egyptian ties and aims to ease congestion in Cairo while modernising governance infrastructure. read more Egypt is formally shifting its capital from Cairo to a newly built city in the desert with China playing a central role in its construction and future operations. Located around 45 kilometres east of Cairo, the new administrative capital spans 700 square kilometres and is envisioned to house more than six million people. The project is part of Egypt's long-term effort to decongest Cairo and reposition itself as a modern administrative and economic hub. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to South China Morning Post, the central business district (CBD) of this new capital is being developed by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), a state-owned Chinese firm. The company recently signed a protocol to operate and maintain the CBD, further deepening China's involvement in Egypt's infrastructure strategy. The agreement includes responsibilities ranging from property management to delivering integrated urban services for residents, businesses and tourists. The cost of building the CBD, which features government ministries, a presidential palace, parliament, foreign embassies, and high-end commercial infrastructure, is estimated at US$3.8 billion. Among its standout features is the Iconic Tower—Africa's tallest skyscraper at 385.8 metres, alongside ten office towers, five residential buildings, and four luxury hotels. The move also aligns with Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, with Egypt serving as a strategic node linking Africa and the Middle East. China's presence in Egypt is expanding, especially around critical zones like the Suez Canal. More than 2,800 Chinese firms operate in the country across sectors such as manufacturing, construction and infrastructure, with total investments exceeding US$8 billion. Since 2023, over 30,000 Egyptian government employees have relocated to the new capital, which officially assumed the role of administrative seat following President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's third-term inauguration. Commercial entities including banks, are also moving in, underscoring the city's growing economic significance. To ensure long-term sustainability, Egypt has implemented a 'cost-plus-margin' model for managing utilities in the new capital, maintaining government oversight while attracting international expertise. The model of having Chinese contractors not only build but also operate and maintain large-scale projects is gaining traction across Africa and appears to be a pillar of Sino-African collaboration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The new capital represents more than just a geographic shift, it signals a geopolitical realignment with China as a core partner in Egypt's transformation agenda.
