Pope Leo XIV says he loves the US but won't call himself American first

NDTV—Pope Leo XIV told reporters he holds 'great love' for the United States but stopped short of describing himself as American, saying his identity as pope comes first. The remarks read as a deliberate effort to avoid signaling favoritism toward any one nation, a sensitivity that comes with heightened scrutiny given his background. The Straits Times' write-up, drawing on other outlets' coverage, frames the story around that pope-first, American-second hierarchy rather than any new policy statement. No specific event or question is cited as having prompted the comments, suggesting they emerged from a general audience or press availability rather than a scripted address.

• NDTV — Pope Leo Says He Has "Great Love" For US, But Doesn't Define Self As American
• The Straits Times — framing sourced to other outlets: pope-first, American-second hierarchy
• USA Today — Great American Tailgate |
• NBC News — first pope born in the US, reflecting on what that means for how he holds the office