During a fiery segment on MSNBC’s Chris Jansing Reports last Friday, Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) took aim at President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance — and even pulled the newly elected Pope Leo XIV into the political spotlight. Her message? She believes the new pontiff should openly condemn the administration’s immigration policies.
Pelosi’s comments came after host Chris Jansing highlighted Pope Leo XIV’s past social media posts, in which he reportedly criticized Trump’s stance on immigration and voiced support for more compassionate treatment of undocumented migrants. The pope, who previously condemned the president of El Salvador for mocking deported migrants, now finds himself at the center of Pelosi’s hopes for a moral rebuke of U.S. immigration enforcement.
Despite Trump’s focus on removing violent gang members and reinforcing immigration laws to protect American communities, Pelosi made it clear she sees the issue differently. In her view, the real moral outrage isn’t about criminal offenders — it’s about the leaders enforcing the law.
Pelosi didn’t stop with Trump. She also took issue with JD Vance’s comments about prioritizing the needs of American families and communities. Vance has repeatedly emphasized the importance of putting citizens first — a stance Pelosi appeared to frame as lacking compassion. She suggested that this viewpoint, too, deserves a strong response from the Vatican.
“I certainly hope so,” Pelosi said, when asked whether she thought the pope would speak out against deportation policies. She praised what she described as his moral clarity, though critics pointed out that her comments focused more on pushing a political narrative than on the pope’s broader spiritual mission.
Curiously, Pelosi made no mention of Pope Francis’s more traditional views on social issues, such as marriage and family — views that often clash with her own political positions. To some observers, that raised questions about whether Pelosi’s expectations for the Church were selectively applied.
In closing, she cited the pope’s connection to the Augustinian Order, adding, “St. Augustine holds significance for him,” though the remark felt like a side note rather than a compelling argument.
At the heart of her appearance was a familiar theme: Pelosi wants religious leaders to speak out — but only when their views align with her progressive ideals. The bigger question now is whether Pope Leo XIV will enter the political fray or remain focused on his spiritual duties.
As the debate over immigration continues, many are left wondering: will the Church stay a moral compass for all — or be drawn into partisan politics?