Pope votes in the by-elections: an unprecedented act

Pope Leo XIV voted in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections by mail, marking the first time a sitting pope has participated in a political election. The Vatican confirmed this, stating that Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, has always exercised his voting rights as a U.S. citizen. His vote comes after recovering from surgery for lung cancer and amid public disagreements with President Donald Trump over immigration policies. Trump has criticized the pope's foreign policy and suggested that Leo XIV's election was influenced by his presidency. The pope responded that he is not afraid of Trump.