Camilla Jessen
Days after Pope Leo XIV’s historic election, his brother is under scrutiny for a profane, politically charged social media post.
Just days after Pope Leo XIV was elected as the new head of the Catholic Church, attention has shifted to his older brother, Louis Prevost, whose social media activity has stirred controversy.
A Pro-MAGA Voice in the Pontiff’s Family
According to reporting referenced by the New York Post, Louis shared a pro-Trump video online that referred to Rep. Nancy Pelosi with a vulgar slur, calling her a “drunk c***.”
The post featured a 1996 video clip of Pelosi and included a caption that criticized liberals for “crying about tariffs,” mocking her with offensive language and a crude personal jab involving her husband.
Louis Prevost, 73, has been described as a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and has made his political views clear through various online posts.
Among them was a message accusing Democratic politicians of treason for meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as a meme that depicted a mental institution with the caption, “Where the woke lived before the ‘70s,” a reference criticized for targeting progressive values with hostility.
His online behavior has drawn attention as it sharply contrasts with the public image of his younger brother, now Pope Leo XIV — formerly Robert Prevost — who was elected last Thursday as the 267th pontiff on the fourth ballot of the conclave.
He is the first American pope and used his inaugural Sunday address to call for peace and an end to global conflict.
Though Pope Leo himself has largely avoided political commentary, earlier this year he reshared a post on social media that was critical of U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Still, his focus has remained on unity and spiritual guidance as he steps into his role as the leader of more than 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
From Dolton to the Vatican
Louis Prevost spoke with several media outlets following his brother’s election, sharing humorous and nostalgic reflections about their upbringing in Dolton, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
In a conversation with The New York Times, he recalled their childhood with a grin: “Jeez, it was like just yesterday, I was throwing him down the stairs. And now he’s pope!”
He went on to say that he expects Pope Leo to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis but perhaps with a slightly more conservative approach.
I think he’s going to be similar to [Pope] Francis, but maybe not quite as liberal-minded, you know, flexing the church rules quite so much. I think he’d be a little more conservative.
Speaking to CBS News, Louis also described the emotional moment when his brother’s name was announced.
“As soon as [a church official] went ‘Ro-,’ my mind blew up, because I knew ‘Ro-’ was going to turn into Roberto. And sure enough, Roberto Francisco,” he said. “And I went nuts. I lost it. Mind blown. My little brother was just made pope. Oh my God. What do I do? How do I act? Do I have to change the way I live? I better behave now.”
So far, the Vatican has not commented on Louis Prevost’s social media activity.