Pope Leo XIV at 70: First Year, Big Learning Curve, Social Priorities | CNN2.0

The first American pope grants his first major interview, saying the role’s scrutiny brought a “huge learning curve” and that he had to “jump in the deep end” quickly while signaling a new openness to media engagement early in his papacy.

Rooted in both the United States and Peru, he highlights a Latin American perspective shaped by years of missionary work, informing priorities on the environment, poverty, and migration.

He links rising polarization to income inequality and outsized executive compensation, cautioning that if wealth is the only metric of value, “we’re in big trouble,” even nodding to speculation about future trillionaires.

Described as calm, sincere, and transparent by the interviewer, he acknowledges the demands of global leadership and diplomacy and promises more to come as he grows into the role.

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