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Pope Leo XIV’s approach has steadily drawn a moral line that does not neatly align with Washington’s power calculus. His decision to prioritize places like Lampedusa over high-profile U.S. celebrations sends a clear, if unspoken, message: the suffering of migrants and victims of conflict outweighs the optics of standing beside a controversial American president. Each homily on mercy, each appeal for restraint in the Middle East, subtly contrasts with Trump’s hard-edged rhetoric on security, borders, and strength.
