Trump Wishes Pope Leo Well After Cancer Surgery, Says Pontiff's Brother Is 'Big' MAGA Supporter

US President Donald Trump has wished Pope Leo XIV a speedy recovery after the pontiff underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his lung in Rome, adding that the pope’s brother is a strong supporter of his political movement.

“I want to see Pope Leo get well,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday after addressing a campaign rally in Arizona.

“It’s big stuff. Anytime you have cancer, but the prognosis seems to be good,” he said, before adding, “I just want to wish him well. Get better fast.”

Pope Recovering After Lung Surgery

The 71-year-old pontiff was out of bed, walking and eating on Wednesday, a day after surgeons removed part of his right lung at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.

The Vatican said blood tests and a chest X-ray showed that his recovery was progressing normally. Doctors

Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora said his test results were within the expected range following the operation.

Leo is now awaiting biopsy results to determine whether the cancer has spread. The Vatican has said the tumour was detected early and was localised.

The first American pope, elected last year, had announced the planned operation after Sunday prayers. His audiences have been cancelled until October 20, with his recovery expected to take about a week.

Trump Mentions Pope’s Brother

Trump also spoke about his relationship with Louis Prevost, the pope’s brother, calling him and his wife as supporters of the US president.

“His brother’s a friend of mine who’s a great, he’s a fantastic guy, and his wife. You know, they’re big Trump supporters,” Trump said.

He added that the pope’s brother loved the pontiff, saying, “That’s good. That’s good enough for me.”

Trump’s remarks come amid differences between his administration and the Vatican over immigration. Leo has called for tolerance and protection for migrants, while the Trump administration has pursued a tougher immigration policy.

(With inputs from agencies)