ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Leo XIV said Friday that he was “proud to be an American” and to exercise his right to vote in U.S. midterm elections, which handed control of Congress to Democrats in a rejection of President Donald Trump and his policies.
Speaking with journalists while traveling to Latin America, Leo declined to discuss the election results. Instead, he referred reporters to a Vatican statement issued the previous week confirming that he had cast a mail-in ballot in his hometown near Chicago.
In its Oct. 30 statement, the Vatican said Leo had voted “whenever he was eligible to do so,” describing that practice as evidence of his commitment to civic participation. It added that he believes in “the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.”
The statement also noted that the pope, who holds Peruvian citizenship, had voted while living in Peru. Leo said Friday that he was unable to participate in Peru’s recent election because absentee voting “isn’t possible.”
“But I would have done it. It’s a good thing,” he said. When another reporter asked about the significance of his absentee ballot in Chicago, Leo again referred to the Vatican’s statement before adding, “I’m proud to be an American and to exercise the right.”
Leo’s vote prompted debate because he is the head of a foreign state, the Holy See, and took on a new identity — Pope Leo XIV, the 266th successor to St. Peter — after being elected pope on May 8, 2025.
U.S. federal law allows citizens to retain their American nationality even when they work for foreign governments. Within the Catholic Church, however, he is known as Leo rather than Robert Prevost, the name listed on his voter registration.
The pope has occasionally shifted between those identities when addressing sensitive subjects. Last weekend, while hosting basketball players from his alma mater, Villanova University, and rival Notre Dame, Leo joked that “the pope” does not take sides, while “Prevost” was a Villanovan.
Leo made the remarks while traveling to Montevideo, Uruguay, the first stop on a 12-day, three-nation tour. The trip comes just three weeks after the 71-year-old pope underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung.
“I’m very happy to be here myself,” Leo told reporters after walking to the rear of the plane to greet them. When asked whether he felt as well as he looked, he replied with a joke: “Maybe better.”
Leo acknowledged that some people had questioned whether he could make the journey, which will also take him to Argentina and Peru. He disclosed on Oct. 11 that doctors had found a nodule on his lung and underwent surgery two days later.
“I confess that from the first day, I had no doubt and was convinced that this trip had to go forward,” he said.
“Praise the Lord, and thanks to wonderful medical assistance, I’m here today, I think, in fairly good shape.” He did acknowledge, however, that he had not yet been able to play tennis.
“Not yet, but I will,” he said.
Doctors said Leo had adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung, and subsequent tests showed that he needed no additional treatment and could undertake the trip.
The nodule was discovered during a routine examination sometime between Leo’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France and the Vatican’s announcement on Oct. 11.
He attributed his recovery to “trusting God, good doctors, good surgeons, and overall I think a healthy lifestyle.”
Leo said his diagnosis strengthened his commitment to remaining close to people who are sick. He also wants to draw attention to the need for health care to be treated as a right for everyone, a message he is expected to emphasize during the journey.
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