Pope Leo XIV used America's 250th birthday to call for national unity, peace, and respect for human dignity—a message that lands differently given his recent history with President Donald Trump.
The American-born pontiff accepted the National Constitution Center's 2026 Liberty Medal via livestream on Friday, marking the milestone anniversary. He urged a "solemn recommitment" to the ideals that made America "a country that values peace and prosperity."
Leo said he joined attendees "in asking God's blessings upon America's future, that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice, and peace." He acknowledged that realizing those ideals "was not always easy and in many respects is still a work in progress."
"May God bless America," Leo said, closing his remarks.
The Liberty Medal is awarded annually to individuals who "strive to secure the blessings of liberty for people around the globe," according to the National Constitution Center.
The appearance follows friction between Leo and Trump over the U.S. military operation against Iran earlier this year, after which Trump called the pope "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy." In April, Leo told reporters the dispute had been overstated, saying debating Trump "is not my interest at all."
So while Friday's speech was all about unity, the backdrop is a pope and a president who've already traded barbs—and are likely to keep doing so.
