Who is the new pope? American Cardinal Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV
Who is the new pope? American Cardinal Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV

After just one day of seclusion in the Vatican, the 2025 papal conclave ended with the election of American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. Here’s what to know.
Read the full article on CBS World
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article contains significant factual errors, primarily concerning the election of a new Pope. The claim of Cardinal Prevost being elected Pope Leo XIV after a one-day conclave is contradicted by multiple sources indicating the conclave is ongoing and has not yet resulted in an election. While the article mentions Cardinal Prevost, it presents inaccurate information about his current status.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim:** "After just one day of seclusion in the Vatican, the 2025 papal conclave ended with the election of American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV."
- Verification Source #1: Contradicts this claim, reporting "Black smoke above the Sistine Chapel signaled that balloting in the…" indicating no Pope has been elected.
- Verification Source #2: Does not cover the specific claim of Prevost's election but discusses the general process of papal election.
- Verification Source #3: Mentions Cardinal Robert Prevost as a possible contender.
- Verification Source #4: Provides background on Cardinal Prevost.
- Verification Source #5: Mentions Cardinal Prevost as a possible contender.
- Claim:** "American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost"
- Verification Source #3: Supports this claim, mentioning Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost.
- Verification Source #5: Supports this claim, stating "Chicago-born Cardinal Prevost".
- Verification Source #4: Supports this claim, mentioning Pope Francis made Prevost a cardinal in 2023.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Verification Source #1: Contradicts the central claim of the article, stating that black smoke signaled no new Pope had been elected. This directly contradicts the article's claim that Cardinal Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV.
- Verification Source #3, #4, and #5: Provide background information on Cardinal Robert Prevost, supporting the claim that he is an American Cardinal and a potential candidate for Pope.
- The primary contradiction lies in the premature announcement of Cardinal Prevost's election, which is refuted by Verification Source #1.