Right now, some people might say Trump and Pope Leo are the most powerful Americans in the world. They have different jobs and work in different areas.

One newly elected American global leader's slogan was "Fight!", while the other introduced himself to the world with his initial public word as pope: "Peace."

The differences between President Donald Trump and Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV are very clear in politics, their personal lives, and how they see the world. They lead in different jobs and areas.

But because Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected last week to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, the two most powerful people in the world are now Americans. This makes people think about how much influence America has, especially now when Trump's disagreements about trade and strong threats have changed the way the world has worked for eighty years and made countries that are friends with the U.S. not trust it as much.

Many people think that the United States having a lot of power in the world is a big reason why the Catholic Church has not chosen an American as pope in its almost 250-year history. This changed last week when the former Cardinal Robert F. Prevost from Chicago was chosen to be the 267th pope, now called Pope Leo XIV.

David Gibson, director of Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture, highlighted the inherent paradox in Leo's election, suggesting that much of the global community would interpret it optimistically – perceiving him as an American representative acting in their interest rather than against it.

Pope Leo represents a distinctive American archetype on the international stage.

The surprise and happiness about the lesser-known cardinal's election soon turned into a strong discussion about how two Americans could be at the top of the world's power structure.

Trump doesn't like sharing attention or being the most important, which is clear from his 'America first' foreign policy. Despite this, American Catholics chose Trump instead of his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.

To try and get their support, Trump shared a picture made by AI that showed him dressed as a pope. He posted this during the time of sadness after Pope Francis died on April 21. Some Catholics and Italians did not like this. Trump said he did not post the picture himself and that people who were upset 'couldn't understand a joke.' He strongly believed that 'Catholics really liked it.'

Nevertheless, Trump conveyed his well wishes to Leo and characterised it as a "profound honour" that the newly appointed pope was American.

Meanwhile, Pope Leo is also seen by some as a politician. He has a calm way of acting and talks to his fellow cardinals in small groups before the meeting to choose the new Pope, people said. Although he was born in Chicago, Leo, whose name was Prevost then, worked as a missionary in Peru for 20 years. After that, in 2023, Pope Francis chose him to be in charge of the Vatican’s important office that checks bishops around the world.

He would not be the first pope to engage with global politics; Pope John Paul II, for instance, is justifiably acknowledged for his role in dismantling communism. However, Leo assumes the papacy having previously expressed criticism of Vice President JD Vance, the most prominent Catholic figure in American politics, via social media. Leo finds himself in disagreement with the current administration on key policy matters including immigration, a defining issue for Trump, and environmental concerns.

Like Trump, Leo is now focusing on the media. On Monday in Vatican City, he asked for journalists who are in prison to be set free and said it is important for everyone to protect the valuable gift of free speech and the press. This is very different from Trump, who has often argued with journalists, from the White House to the courts.

As prominent figures, Trump and Pope Leo operate within distinct spheres of influence.

In early February, Leo, who was still Prevost at the time, shared an article from a Catholic magazine with the headline, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

The statement followed days after Vance, a Catholic convert, referenced a Christian principle during a Fox News interview on immigration, suggesting a hierarchy of affection: prioritizing family, then neighbors, community, and fellow citizens, before considering the global population.

Addressing thousands in St. Peter's Square in Italian, Leo outlined an alternative perspective for the Church and human interactions, stating, "The Church must function collaboratively to construct connections and maintain openness, much like this very piazza, embracing all."

Vance said the papacy is more important than politics and social media. He told conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt in an interview that it's very difficult to make a 2,000-year-old institution fit into American politics in 2025. He added that it's better for everyone if the church focuses on saving people's souls.

Steven Millies, who directs The Bernardin Center in Chicago, said that when Trump and Leo became popular at the same time, it showed how religion and culture came together. He also said that religion and politics don't work well together because they have different goals.

Millies said in an email that Francis and Cardinal Prevost were acting as bishops. They were teaching the Gospel and reminding people that the Gospel always supports the poor, the suffering, and those who are troubled. He added that this is not something Trump does, whether he is president, a reality TV star, or a businessman.

To what extent does Pope Leo's perspective align with American values?

Scholars suggest that because Leo has lived in Peru for many years and is a citizen of both countries, he probably has a wider understanding of things like humanity, power, religion, and politics.

In addition to evident personality distinctions from Trump, Leo is anticipated to exercise authority in a divergent manner, prioritising aid for the most disadvantaged, in contrast to Trump who ceased American assistance. During his initial address, Leo neither referenced his American heritage nor spoke in English, which certain Vatican observers interpreted as indicative of his global focus.

Although it is true that Leo is the first pope born in the U.S., it is better to see him as the second pope from the Americas. This idea goes against 'America first' thinking and sees the region as a whole, like Pope Francis did first, focusing on the global south, said Raul Zegarra, an assistant professor of Roman Catholic theological studies at Harvard Divinity School.

He said this shows a pope who understands leading globally by talking to people, not by being alone. He also understands that power comes from helping others, not from controlling them. He added that it is hard to imagine a bigger difference compared to the current government in the U.S.

Some American cardinals say that Leo isn't very American in how he acts or thinks. They also say his American background didn't really help him become pope. However, Trump's presence was a big influence on what happened.

Six American cardinals who were part of the meeting took the stage at a press conference while “Born in the USA” and “American Pie” played loudly. Then, one by one, they said that Leo wasn't very American, despite being American. One mentioned a saying that was common, that Leo is “the least American of the American” cardinals. Several said they thought Leo would help connect with the Trump government, explaining that this is what the Latin word “pontiff” means.

When questioned about whether the cardinals chose Leo to counterbalance Trump, several denied it.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, stated, "I don't believe my fellow cardinals would have considered him a significant counterbalance to any single individual."

Wilton Gregory, the retired archbishop of Washington, said it was clear the cardinals knew about things that had happened in the United States, statements that had been made, and political actions that had been taken. However, he said the meeting's main goal was to choose someone who could make the faith stronger.

Millies said: “The world shouldn't be afraid of a pope from the U.S. Actually, it's the opposite. Because he is 'the least American of the Americans,' he hasn't been affected by our recent politics. This might make him seem safer, even though he is an American who knows this country's good qualities very well.

Darlene Superville, an Associated Press writer based in Washington, made a contribution to this report.