Donald Trump Responds to Pope Leo XIV's Cancer Diagnosis by Bragging That Pontiff's Brother Is MAGA

President Donald Trump wished Pope Leo XIV a swift recovery after lung cancer surgery on Wednesday, 14 October, before praising the pontiff's MAGA-supporting brother.

Speaking to reporters at Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona, Trump called Louis Prevost a friend and highlighted his support for the president.

The exchange followed surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday, when doctors removed the lower lobe of the 71-year-old pope's right lung.

Tissue examined during the operation confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, previously suspected from medical tests. The Vatican has not disclosed the cancer's stage or his long-term prognosis.

Donald Trump Praises Pope Leo's Brother After Offering His Best Wishes

Asked for a message following Leo's diagnosis, Trump replied, 'I want to see Pope Leo get well.' He acknowledged the seriousness of cancer and said he had heard encouraging information about the pope's prospects.

'It's big stuff anytime you have cancer,' he said, adding that 'the prognosis seems to be good.' That was Trump's assessment. Vatican doctors have reported satisfactory early postoperative findings but have not issued a definitive prognosis.

The president then turned to Louis Prevost, the pope's older brother, who lives in Florida and openly supports Trump's Make America Great Again movement. Trump described him as a friend and praised both him and his wife, Deborah.

'They're big Trump supporters,' Trump said. 'They have MAGA all over their house.' The claim about the couple's home was the president's description, not an independently verified detail.

Trump also said Louis loved his brother and returned to his original message for the pontiff. 'Get better fast,' he said.

The shift to Louis carried political significance because Trump has previously singled him out for praise while openly criticising Leo. Their disagreements have centred on the pope's calls for peace and his objections to the treatment of migrants.

Donald Trump's April Attack on Pope Leo Highlighted Their Political Divide

On 12 April 2026, Trump called Leo 'WEAK on Crime' and 'terrible for Foreign Policy' in a Truth Social post. He also wrote, 'I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA.'

Trump objected to the pope's stance on the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. He claimed Leo would not have become pope without Trump's presence in the White House, but offered no evidence. Catholic cardinals elected Leo in May 2025.

The pope has criticised the war separately from his concerns about immigration enforcement. In November 2025, Leo said migrants should be treated with dignity, while acknowledging that countries have the right to control their borders. He described some treatment of long-established immigrants as 'extremely disrespectful.'

Louis's relationship with Trump is not new. Trump and Vice President JD Vance met Louis and Deborah at the White House on 20 May 2025, shortly after Leo became the first US-born pope. Louis's political opinions remain his own and should not be confused with the pontiff's positions.

Vatican Reports Pope Leo XIV's Recovery Progress as Brother Undergoes Treatment

The two brothers are also facing separate health problems. Deborah told CBS News on 13 October that Louis has multiple myeloma and is undergoing treatment through a clinical trial following a relapse. She said he was first diagnosed in 2017 and had received treatment in 2019.

Deborah also said Louis and Leo spoke before the pope's operation. She did not offer a medical assessment of Leo's condition, and Trump did not mention Louis's illness during his remarks in Arizona.

On Wednesday, Vatican doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora reported that the pope's blood tests and chest X-ray showed results within the expected range after surgery. Leo had resumed eating, started walking around his room, and began respiratory physiotherapy.

The Holy See Press Office said on Thursday, 15 October, that Leo had spent a good second night in hospital and eaten breakfast. Spokesman Matteo Bruni also said the pontiff had concelebrated Mass in hospital the previous afternoon.

The Vatican has indicated a hospital stay of about a week. His public audiences remain cancelled until 20 October, while further details about the cancer's stage and any additional treatment have not been announced.