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Robert Prevost elected first American pope, takes name Leo XIV

Published

2 months ago

2 minute read

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Quick Hit:

White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday, signaling the election of a new pope. Shortly thereafter, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States was introduced to the world as the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

Key Details:

  • Prevost secured the necessary two-thirds support from the 133 voting cardinals in the Vatican conclave.

  • The white smoke signaled a successful vote, prompting cheers and chants of “Viva il papa!” from thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

  • Shortly afterward, the senior cardinal deacon formally announced Prevost’s election and introduced him on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Diving Deeper:

Cardinal Robert Prevost made history Thursday as the first American elected pope, following a swift and decisive vote by the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. The 133 cardinal-electors reached the required supermajority of 89 votes, ending the conclave with the traditional sign: white smoke rising from the chapel chimney.

The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted as the smoke appeared, signaling a successful election. Many wept, prayed, and cheered, knowing the announcement of the new pope’s identity would follow shortly.

As is custom, the senior cardinal deacon emerged minutes later to proclaim “Habemus Papam!”—Latin for “We have a pope!” He then revealed the name of Cardinal Robert Prevost and the papal name he had chosen. Prevost soon stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the world and offer his first blessing as pontiff.

Before his appearance, the newly elected pope prepared in the “Room of Tears,” a small chamber within the Vatican where popes are vested and given a moment to reflect on the enormous weight of their new office.

Prevost’s election marks a turning point for American Catholics and signals a potentially new chapter for the global church. More details on his vision and priorities are expected in the coming days.

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armed forces

NATO commits to 5% defense floor after Trump pushes allies to step up

Published on June 26, 2025

By

From The Center Square

President Trump Participates in a Press Conference at NATO 6/25/25

President Donald Trump heads home from the NATO summit in the Netherlands touting a slew of international successes, including the member nations committing to more than doubling their defense spending.

In addition, Trump is taking a victory lap after Israeli officials supported Trump’s claim that the U.S. “obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear sites, following media reports disputing the overall success.

NATO partners, comprised of 32 member nations, agreed to Trump’s demands that the countries increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP. The proposal initially had been met with resistance, given that the current spending threshold is 2%.

However, in recognition of Russian aggression and terrorism threats on member nations, the leaders agreed to increase their spending by 2035 substantially.

“United in the face of profound security threats and challenges, in particular the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security and the persistent threat of terrorism, Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence-and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations, in accordance with Article 3 of the Washington Treaty,” according to a statement signed by the member nations.

The member nations say the 5% spending “commitment will comprise two essential categories.”

“Allies will allocate at least 3.5% of GDP annually based on the agreed definition of NATO defence expenditure by 2035 to resource core defence requirements, and to meet the NATO Capability Targets. Allies agree to submit annual plans showing a credible, incremental path to reach this goal. And Allies will account for up to 1.5% of GDP annually to inter alia protect our critical infrastructure, defend our networks, ensure our civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation, and strengthen our defence industrial base,” the statement said. “The trajectory and balance of spending under this plan will be reviewed in 2029, in light of the strategic environment and updated Capability Targets.”

The member nations also underscored their commitment to supporting Ukraine, a non-member nation, from continued Russian aggression.

Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the summit. This was the second time the leaders had met since their publicly contentious meeting in the Oval Office in February.

The meeting was reported to be friendly, with the Ukrainian leader praising Trump for leading a “successful operation” in Iran.

Zelenskyy said the pair discussed the embattled Eastern European country’s plan to purchase military equipment from the U.S.

“We discussed the protection of our people with the President – first and foremost, the purchase of American air defense systems to shield our cities, our people, churches, and infrastructure. Ukraine is ready to buy this equipment and support American weapons manufacturers. Europe can help. We also discussed the potential co-production of drones. We can strengthen each other,” Zelenskyy posted to X Wednesday afternoon.

Trump characterized the meeting as “good,” adding that Zelenskyy “couldn’t have been nicer.”

The president stressed his commitment to ending the war between Ukraine and Russia, adding that he would be talking to Vladimir Putin.

“I think [Zelenskyy would] like to see an end to this… I think it’s a great time to end it. I’m going to speak to Vladmir Putin; see if we can get it ended,” Trump told reporters.

The president also addressed many questions concerning Iran, strongly disputing what he is characterizing as “fake news” reports that the U.S. airstrikes did minimal damage to the nuclear facilities.

“We’ve collected additional intelligence and we’ve also spoken to people who have seen this site – and the site is obliterated,” Trump told reporters.

The president shared a letter from the Atomic Energy Commission of Israel that described the strike as “devastating,” adding that strikes on Fordow “destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility totally inoperable.”

Trump added that he would be speaking with Iranian officials next week on the next steps for the Islamic Republic.

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conflict

Fordow obliterated: Israeli report confirms nuclear site inoperable

Published on June 25, 2025

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Quick Hit:

Israel confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. airstrike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site over the weekend caused severe damage, rendering the facility “inoperable.” Israeli officials say the operation has significantly delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Key Details:

  • The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the U.S. strike destroyed key infrastructure at Fordow and crippled Iran’s uranium enrichment capability at the site.
  • The statement, delivered on behalf of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, concluded that combined U.S. and Israeli strikes have set Iran’s nuclear weapons program back “by many years.”
  • President Trump praised the success of the operation during remarks at the NATO summit in Brussels, calling it a “joint Israeli-American victory” and likening it to Israel’s decisive 1967 Six Day War.

Diving Deeper:

On Wednesday, the Israeli government released an official statement confirming that a U.S. airstrike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility had effectively shut down operations at the controversial site. The announcement came shortly after President Donald Trump previewed the findings during a press conference at the NATO summit in Brussels, noting that Israeli intelligence would provide details on the mission’s results.

“The devastating U.S. strike on Fordow destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable,” read the statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on behalf of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission. The report concluded that the joint American and Israeli military campaign had “set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years.”

Officials added that this delay in Iran’s nuclear capabilities could continue “indefinitely,” provided Tehran is prevented from obtaining new sources of nuclear material.

Fordow has long been one of the most heavily fortified and secretive components of Iran’s nuclear program, buried deep beneath a mountain near the city of Qom. Intelligence analysts had previously identified it as a central hub for uranium enrichment—one of the final steps in developing a nuclear weapon.

President Trump, who authorized the airstrikes over the weekend, hailed the mission’s outcome as a strategic triumph. Referring to the brief but intense military confrontation as the “12 Day War,” Trump drew historical parallels to Israel’s famed Six Day War in 1967, underscoring the speed and precision of the operation.

“This was a joint Israeli-American victory,” Trump said. “And we achieved it without a prolonged conflict or massive deployment.”

The Fordow strike followed a series of precision attacks by Israel on other elements of Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. Together, the coordinated efforts appear to have dealt a major blow to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, though experts caution that Iran’s response in the coming weeks remains uncertain.

The Israeli report marks the first formal assessment from a government directly involved in the strikes and is likely to shape future international discussions on Iran’s nuclear path.

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