Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope, gave a brief message of "God bless you all" to the United States when asked by a NewsNation correspondent. His address to journalists emphasized the importance of free speech and unbiased communication. Social media speculated that his earlier response, "many," might be a subtle reference to past criticisms of Donald Trump, considering Leo's previous public stances against Trump and his allies. Trump himself has attempted to associate his own influence with the Pope's election.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.