Chicago-born Pope Leo becomes first pontiff to vote in US election after blasting Trump over Iran war and president's treatment of migrants

Pope Leo voted in Illinois by mail-in ballot in the 2026 midterm elections, the Vatican confirmed, after lashing out at President Trump for his stance on Iran and migrants.He has become the first pope in history to vote in a US general election. The Chicago-born pontiff 'has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen' and has done so 'whenever he was eligible to do so,' the Holy See press office said.'The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.'The pope is on the 'list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election,' Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office, told the Chicago Sun-Times.British historian Michael Walsh told CNN this is the first time a pope has voted in a democratic, secular election. The historic move comes after the American-born pope condemned Trump's war on Iran as 'unjust' and criticized the president's threat to destroy Iran's 'whole civilization.'In a highly-publicized spat, Trump lashed out at the pope on Truth Social in April, calling Leo 'WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,' and stated that 'If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.'The Chicago-born native responded by stating that he had 'no fear' of the administration, and that his efforts were to 'promote peace and multilateral relationships.' Pope Leo has consistently used his platform to hit out at Trump's policies, including mass deportation campaigns and border control.During his first major US television interview in July 2026, the religious figurehead called out the administration for it's 'in humane treatment' of migrants at the US-Mexico border.He referenced America's historic 'principles' standing for freedom, opportunity and inviting immigrants into the country.'My grandparents were immigrants,' Pope Leo told NBC’s Nightly News at the time. 'On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slave owners. There’s a history of, if you will, growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize myself – one of the greatest wealths of the United States.'Records show that the pope, a US citizen, is registered as a voter in the Chicago suburb of New Lenox.He has cast ballots in both Republican and Democratic primaries and also voted in the 2024 presidential election.In a move that stirred up controversy in April, Trump posted what appeared to be an AI drawing of himself as Jesus Christ healing a sick person, followed by a photoshop of what it would look like if Trump Tower were built on the moon.The post followed Leo having denounced the 'delusion of omnipotence' that fueled the joint US-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St Peter's Basilica on the same day the US and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire.The Pope didn't mention the US or Trump by name in his prayer.But Leo's tone and message appeared directed at Trump and American officials, who have boasted of US military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.The Pope told the thousands gathered in St Peter's Square that the public is 'growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it and becoming indifferent'.Speaking from the Vatican balcony, the Pope said: 'Let those who have weapons lay them down!'Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force but by dialogue.'Leo did not specify a conflict within his message, known as the Urbi et Orbi blessing - translated as 'to the city and the world'.In the 2024 election, Trump won 55 percent of Catholic voters, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate.But Trump’s administration also has close ties to conservative evangelical Protestant leaders and has claimed heavenly endorsement for the war on Iran.