Pope Leo shares his 2026 travel plans - and he won't be coming back home [View all]

Source: The Independent

Monday 09 February 2026 12:27 EST


Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, is not planning to visit the United States this year, a spokesperson for the Vatican told reporters.

Speculation about Leo taking a trip back home has been circulating for weeks – especially as the pontiff issues statements denouncing President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.

Senior Vatican officials even reportedly considered having the pope visit the U.S. around the United Nations General Assembly in September. But ultimately, officials decided against it. “No trip to the U.S. is expected in 2026,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said, according to the Washington Post.

It’s unclear what the reason behind the decision was, but the upcoming midterm elections could have influenced it. Typically, the pope does not visit a country during an election year to avoid the appearance of partisanship.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/pope-leo-us-travel-2026-b2916790.html