Pope ‘proud to be an American’ after US elections, and credits God and doctors with cancer rebound

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Leo XIV said Friday that he was “proud to be an American and to exercise the right” to vote in U.S. midterm elections that gave control of Congress to the Democrats in a repudiation of U.S. President Donald Trump and his policies.

Meeting with journalists en route to Latin America, Leo declined to comment on the outcome of the vote and pointed to a statement that the Vatican issued last week in confirming he had submitted a mail-in ballot in his hometown of Chicago.

In the Oct. 30 statement, the Vatican said that Leo had voted “whenever he was eligible to do so” as evidence of his belief in civic participation. The statement also said that Leo believes “in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.”

It noted that the pope, who also has Peruvian citizenship, had exercised his right to vote while he lived in Peru. Leo said Friday that he hadn’t been able to vote in Peru’s recent election since absentee ballots “aren’t possible.”

“But I would have done it. It’s a good thing,” he said. To another reporter, who asked him about the significance of his Chicago absentee ballot, Leo pointed to the Vatican statement but said: “I’m proud to be an American and to exercise the right.”

Leo’s vote sparked some debate, given Leo is head of a foreign country — the Holy See — and assumed a new persona — Pope Leo XIV, the 266th successor to St. Peter — after his election as pope on May 8, 2025.

U.S. federal law allows American citizens, even those who work for foreign governments, to retain their citizenship. But as far as the Catholic Church is concerned, he is Leo, not Robert Prevost, the name on his voter registration.

The pope, however, likes to shape-shift a bit when it suits him on particularly delicate matters. He did so last weekend, in hosting basketball players from his alma mater Villanova University and rival Notre Dame. Leo joked that “the pope” doesn’t take sides, but that “Prevost” was a Villanovan.

Leo’s first trip after surgery

Leo made the comments en route to Montevideo, Uruguay, the first stop of a three-nation, 12-day tour that is coming 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 when he came to the back of the plane to greet them. Asked if he felt as good as he looked, he quipped: “Maybe better.”

Leo acknowledged that some people had doubted he would be able to make the trip, which will also take him to Argentina and Peru, after he revealed to the world on Oct. 11 that he had a nodule on his lung and then underwent the 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 acknowledged though that he hadn’t had a chance to play tennis.

“Not yet, but I will,” he said.

Doctors confirmed that Leo had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. They removed the lower lobe of his right lung and, after further tests, said that he required no further treatment and could make the trip.

The nodule was detected during a routine exam, sometime between Leo’s Sept. 25-28 trip to France and the Oct. 11 announcement.

“Early detection is obviously the best way to go, and so regular checkups are a blessing,” Leo said.

He credited his rebound to “Trusting God, good doctors, good surgeons, and overall I think a healthy lifestyle.”

Leo said that his takeaway from his diagnosis was that he feels a sense of commitment “of wanting to continue to be close to those who are sick,” but to also highlight the need for healthcare to be a right for all people, a message he’s expected to emphasize during his trip.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press