Social Media Posts Give Insight Into First American Pope’s Politics: Unbiased Updates, May 9, 2025

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

GOOD MORNING

I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI

IT’S FRIDAY MAY 9TH, 2025 

AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:

POPE LEO THE 14TH, CELEBRATES HIS FIRST MASS AT THE SISTINE CHAPEL, LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS NAMED THE 69-YEAR-OLD CHICAGOAN, THE FIRST EVER POPE, FROM THE UNITED STATES.  

AND — TRADE TALKS THIS WEEKEND BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA.  REPRESENTATIVES WILL COME FACE-TO-FACE IN SWITZERLAND. THE BIG QUESTION : WILL THERE BE A THAW IN THE STARE-DOWN OVER THE TARIFFS THAT BOTH SIDES HAVE IMPOSED ON EACH OTHER

L3: SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS GIVE INSIGHT INTO FIRST AMERICAN POPE’S POLITICST

AS MORE THAN ONE BILLION CATHOLICS ACROSS THE WORLD CELEBRATE THE ELECTION OF THE FIRST AMERICAN POPE — WE’RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE CHICAGO-BORN PONTIFF… INCLUDING HIS POLITICS.

BEFORE BECOMING POPE LEO THE 14-TH — CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST OCCASIONALLY POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA — AND SOME OF THOSE MESSAGES APPEARED TO BE CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT J-D VANCE.

WHILE IT APPEARS PREVOST DID NOT **PERSONALLY** WRITE ANY OF THE CRITICAL POSTS — MULTIPLE ARTICLES AND HEADLINES FROM OTHERS WERE REPOSTED ON AN X ACCOUNT UNDER HIS NAME.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THURSDAY HE WAS “VERY HAPPY” ABOUT NEWS OF THE FIRST AMERICAN POPE, ROBERT PREVOST, A NATIVE OF CHICAGO, WHO STUDIED AT VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY IN PHILADELPHIA.  IN A POST ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL PLATFORM , THE PRESIDENT SAID HE LOOKS FORWARD TO MEETING THE NEW POPE, SAYING IT WILL BE A “VERY MEANINGFUL MOMENT.”

WHILE VICE PRESIDENT VANCE — A RECENT CONVERT TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH — POSTED HIS CONGRATULATIONS ON X.

PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO CONFIRMED TO REPORTERS THURSDAY HE HAD RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE NEW POPE’S TEAM.

POPE LEO THE 14-TH IS HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING, PAYING A SURPRISE VISIT TO GREET STAFF AT HIS FORMER RESIDENCE JUST OUTSIDE THE VATICAN,

CAN BRING BACK BROLL HERE

THEN LEADING MASS FOR THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS IN THE SISTINE CHAPEL.

ON SUNDAY — HE WILL PRAY THE REGINA COELI, (RAY-JEEN-UH CHAY-LEE)  A SPECIAL PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE VIRGIN MARY.  THE NEW PONTIFF WILL LEAD THE PRAYER FROM THE CENTRAL BALCONY OF ST. PETER’S BASILICA AT NOON LOCAL TIME.

THEN ON MONDAY, HE’S SET TO HAVE HIS FIRST MEETING IN THE VATICAN, WITH JOURNALISTS.

L3: RUSSIA AND UKRAINE ACCUSE EACH OTHER OF BREAKING 3-DAY CEASEFIRE

RUSSIA IS MARKING EIGHTY YEARS SINCE THE DEFEAT OF NAZI GERMANY IN WORLD WAR TWO WITH A MASSIVE MILITARY PARADE AT RED SQUARE — ATTENDED BY PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND A SLEW OF FOREIGN LEADERS, INCLUDING CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING,  AS WELL AS THE BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT.

UKRAINE IS ACCUSING RUSSIA OF VIOLATING ITS OWN CEASEFIRE.

THE UKRAINE FOREIGN MINISTER POSTING ON X, CALLING THE CEASEFIRE A “FARCE” AND SAYING, “RUSSIAN FORCES CONTINUE TO ATTACK ACROSS THE ENTIRE FRONTLINE, CLAIMING FROM MIDNIGHT TO MIDDAY, RUSSIA COMMITTED 734 CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS AND 63 ASSAULT OPERATIONS — 23 OF WHICH ARE STILL ONGOING.”

AT THE SAME TIME, RUSSIA CLAIMS UKRAINE HAS CARRIED OUT 488 ATTACKS ON RUSSIAN TARGETS AND TRIED TO BREAK THROUGH THE BORDER IN THE KURSK REGION TWICE.

THIS ALL COMES AS PRESIDENT TRUMP IS PROPOSING A 30-DAY **UNCONDITIONAL** CEASEFIRE IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR — AND HAS THREATENED ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA, IF THE PAUSE IN FIGHTING IS NOT RESPECTED.

ALSO, UKRAINE’S PARLIAMENT UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO RATIFY  A LANDMARK MINERALS DEAL WITH THE U-S ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON, WHICH INCLUDES THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SENDING 50 MILLION DOLLARS IN DEFENSE GOODS TO UKRAINE AS THE WAR WITH RUSSIA CONTINUES.

L3: TRUMP ADMIN. COULD CUT TARIFFS ON CHINA IN HALF AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK: REPORT

TOP U-S AND CHINESE OFFICIALS ARE HEADING TO SWITZERLAND THIS WEEKEND — TO BEGIN TALKS ABOUT DE-ESCALATING THE  TRADE WAR.

AND NOW, THE NEW YORK POST IS REPORTING SOURCES CLOSE TO THE NEGOTIATIONS SAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS WEIGHING A PLAN TO SLASH THE 145 PERCENT TARIFF ON CHINESE IMPORTS BY MORE THAN HALF, AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.

THE SOURCE ALSO SAID TARIFFS ON NEIGHBORING SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES WOULD BE CUT TO 25 PERCENT, ACCORDING TO THE POST.

THIS COMES AS THE U-S HAS REACHED ITS FIRST OFFICIAL TRADE DEAL SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP IMPOSED SWEEPING TARIFFS ON MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS REPORTER LAUREN KEENAN HAS A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES — AND THE UNITED KINGDOM.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS PUT A 90-DAY DELAY ON SWEEPING TARIFFS ON DOZENS OF COUNTRIES TO ALLOW FOR SIMILAR NEGOTIATIONS — BUT HE HAS KEPT THE BLANKET 10 PERCENT BASELINE TARIFF IN PLACE. 

L3: TRUMP APPOINTS FOX NEWS LEGAL EXPERT AS INTERIM U.S. ATTORNEY FOR D.C.

ANOTHER FAMILIAR FACE FROM CABLE NEWS IS UP FOR A BIG JOB IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY.

PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED, ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL PLATFORM, THAT HE APPOINTING JEANINE PIRRO TO BE THE INTERIM U.S ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

THE PRESIDENT CALLED HER A POWERFUL CRUSADER FOR VICTIMS OF CRIMES IN HER ROLE AS AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY NEW YORK, LATER THE D-A AND A COUNTY JUDGE.

SHE HAS BEEN A LEGAL EXPERT ON FOX NEWS FOR NEARLY TWO  DECADES AND HOSTED HER OWN SHOW.

THE MOVE CAME AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THURSDAY, PULLED THE NOMINATION OF ED MARTIN, WHEN IT APPEARED MARTIN WOULD NOT GET SENATE CONFIRMATION.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR THOM TILLIS SAID HE WOULD NOT VOTE TO CONFIRM HIM TO BE THE TOP FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IN  D.C. BECAUSE MARTIN HAD SUPPORTED THE RIOTERS WHO STORMED THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6TH 2021, AND REPRESENTED DEFENDANTS WHO WERE PROSECUTED. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOW ASSIGNING MARTIN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

IN ANOTHER MATTER, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS FIRED THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, CARLA HAYDEN.

HAYDEN WAS THE FIRST WOMAN AND FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE CONFIRMED TO THAT POSITION BACK IN 2016.

HER TERM WAS SET TO EXPIRE NEXT YEAR.

A CONSERVATIVE GROUP, KNOWN AS THE AMERICAN ACCOUNTABILITY FOUNDATION, HAD CALLED FOR HER TO BE FIRED, CALLING WOKE AND ANTI-TRUMP WHILE ALSO CLAIMING SHE AND OTHER LIBRARIANS PROMOTED CHILDREN’S BOOKS WITH RADICAL CONTENT.

AND ONE OTHER MAJOR MOVE ON THURSDAY, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FIRED THE ACTING ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

CAM HAMILTON HAD TESTIFIED BEFORE A HOUSE COMMITTEE THAT HE WAS AGAINST HE DISMANTLING OF FEMA  AND NOW, HE’S OUT.

L3: FAN SUES NFL OVER SHEDEUR SANDERS’ DROP FROM ROUND 1 TO ROUND 5 DURING DRAFT

IT WAS THE STUNNING STORY LINE THAT PRETTY MUCH TOOK OVER THE NFL DRAFT A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE DROP OF QUARTERBACK SHEDEUR SANDERS, NOT ONLY, OUT OF THE FIRST ROUND, BUT ALL THE WAY INTO THE 5TH ROUND AND WELL INTO DAY THREE.

NOW A FAN HAS FILED A LAWSUIT, IN ATLANTA, AGAINST THE NFL, CLAIMING THERE WAS A CONCERTED EFFORT, BY ALL THE TEAMS, **NOT** TO DRAFT SHEDUER. IN OTHER WORDS – COLLUSION.

THE FAN – IDENTIFIED AS JOHN DOE – IS SEEKING $100 MILLION.

SANDERS WHO HAD A GREAT YEAR AS QUARTERBACK OF THE COLORADO BUFFALOES AND WAS THE BIG 12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, AFTER PASSING FOR MORE THAN 4000 YARDS AND ACCOUNTING FOR 37 TOUCHDOWNS, WAITED AND WAITED TO GET DRAFTED AS THE DRAMA PLAYED OUT IN FRONT OF MILLIONS OF VIEWERS ON TV. 

THE FAN CLAIMS, QUOTE ” THE NFL’S ACTIONS AND THE SPREAD OF HARMFUL STATEMENTS ABOUT SANDERS HAVE CAUSED ME SEVERE EMOTIONAL STRESS AND TRAUMA.”  

IN LEGAL TERMS, HE CLAIMS THE NFL TEAMS VIOLATED THE SHERMAN ANTI-TRUST ACT, THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN RACIAL DISCRIMINATION WHEN IT COMES TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AND HE ALLEGES THE NFL MISLED FANS ABOUT HOW THE DRAFT PROCESS WORKS AND HOW PLAYERS ARE EVALUATED, VIOLATING CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS.

SANDERS WAS EXPECTED TO GO IN THE FIRST ROUND BEFORE THE CLEVELAND BROWNS FINALLY DRAFTED HIM ON DAY 3 ON SATURDAY, AS DRAFT ANALYSTS TRIED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO EXPLAIN WHY THE SON OF NFL HALL OF FAMER DEION SANDERS WAS NOT GETTING PICKED.

SO FAR – NO COMMENT FROM THE N-F-L.

L3: LARGE UNDERWATER VOLCANO COULD SOON ERUPT, BUT YOU’LL LIKELY NOT KNOW IT

FINALLY THIS MORNING — THINGS ARE HEATING UP A FEW HUNDRED MILES OFF THE U-S’ WEST COAST.

A MILE-WIDE UNDERWATER VOLCANO IS SHOWING SIGNS IT COULD SOON ERUPT, SCIENTISTS SAY.

CURRENT FORECASTS PROJECT THE VOLCANO — KNOWN AS AXIAL SEAMOUNT — COULD ERUPT ANYTIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR.

THE VOLCANO IS LOCATED ABOUT A MILE UNDERWATER ON A GEOLOGICAL HOTSPOT.

AND WHILE HOTSPOT VOLCANOES ARE COMMON ON THE SEAFLOOR — AXIAL SEAMOUNT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE LOCATED ON THE JUAN DE FUCA RIDGE, WHERE TWO MASSIVE TECTONIC PLATES ARE CONSTANTLY SPREADING APART, CAUSING A STEADY BUILDUP OF PRESSURE BENEATH THE EARTH’S SURFACE.

SCIENTISTS SAY AXIAL SEAMOUNT IS SIMILAR TO THE VOLCANOES IN HAWAII THAT ERUPT AND SPEW  LAVA.

BUT YOU WI’LL LIKELY NEVER KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENS BECAUSE IT WILL BE UNDETECTABLE ON LAND.

THE LAST TIME IT ERUPTED WAS APRIL 2015.