'Pope for President?': Leo XIV’s Meeting With Obama’s Former Advisor Fuels 2028 Speculations

Is Pope Leo XIV making a bid for the White House in 2028?

Speculations have been abuzz about a possible presidential run, especially after his closed-door meeting with Democratic strategist and former President Barack Obama's erstwhile senior advisor, David Axelrod, on Thursday, April 9.

Pope Leo was born in Chicago and raised in Dolton. Earlier, Obama had expressed his desire to meet his hometown Pope. Now, Axelrod's meeting with the Pope has many wondering if a meeting with Obama is in the works as well.

But a section of the internet is also considering the possibility of a papal presidential run.

Christopher Hale, a Democratic activist who is reportedly writing a book on the Pope and American politics, posted on X about the meeting between Pope Leo and Axelrod. Netizens were quick to speculate on the possible reasons for the unexpected rendezvous.

Keith Nagy, a communications staffer for California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, replied to Hale's post with an AI-generated image of the Pope in a cornfield and joked, "Pope Leo to visit Iowa, sources familiar say."

Similarly, on April Saturday, April 11, when an X user asked on the platform, "Who would be the funniest Dem to win in 2028 and just end up being a really good president somehow?" popular menswear writer Derek Guy replied, "The Pope."

Amid reports of rising tensions between the White House and the Vatican, the question remains: can Pope Leo run for president?

Technically, yes, since he checks the parameters listed by the U.S. Constitution: he is a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years old (the Pope is 70), and a 14-year resident.

However, according to USA Today, it would be almost functionally impossible for Leo to run for office because of the church's Canon law that prohibits clergy from holding public office.

Moreover, he is a foreign head of state, which would raise the issue of dual loyalty.

"The Pope is not going to run for president. He's legally able to, but he's not going to," Hale told the news outlet.

Recently, the Pope has been making headlines for his very vocal opposition to Trump's escalating war against Iran. Last week, after Trump posted his now infamous threat about destroying Iran's civilization, Pope Leo disapproved of his statements, labeling them "unacceptable."

"Today, as we all know, there was this threat against the entire ​people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable," said the Pope, according to Reuters.

"There are certainly issues ⁠here of international law, but even more than that, it is a ​moral question for the good of the (world's) people," he said, as he addressed journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

Earlier, on Easter Sunday, Pope Leo, who is the first American Pope, had urged world leaders to choose peace and "drop the desire to dominate others."

He also condemned the "imperialist occupation of the world" and said that G-d rejects the prayers "of those who wage war."

Meanwhile, on Sunday, April 12, Trump posted a lengthy critique of Pope Leo on Truth Social, claiming he is "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy."

He then added, "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don't want a Pope who thinks it's terrible that America attacked Venezuela."

Trump then took credit for the pontiff's appointment as Pope.

"He wasn't on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican," he said.

According to CNN, Pope Leo responded to Trump's attack on Monday, April 13, saying that he has "no fear of the Trump administration."