Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Robert Prevost Elected First American Pope, Takes Name Leo XIV; U.S. Catholics React to the First American Pope; Pope Leo XIV is a Dual U.S.-Peruvian Citizen, Former Missionary; Transportation Secy. Unveils Air Traffic Control System Overhaul; Trump, Prime Minister Starmer Announce U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal; Trump Calls U.K. Trade Agreement "First in a Series" of Deals. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired May 08, 2025 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:23]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Thank you so much for sharing part of your afternoon with us. I'm Boris Sanchez alongside Brianna Keilar in the nation's capital.

And right now, the world is embracing the first ever American Pope.

Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago emerged onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. The 69-year-old taking on the name of Pope Leo XIV, extending his arms to the 10s of thousands gathered there, along with 1.4 billion Catholics that he now leads worldwide. Among his first words, not in English but in Italian, were "peace be with you all." He then paid tribute to his predecessor, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO XIV (through interpreter): Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the entire world, that morning of Easter. Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: The new pope was born Robert Prevost in 1955, known as Bob to some friends, we have learned, which is something that you have never been able to say about a pope before. He attended Villanova University, where he majored in math. And he became a priest in 1982, later teaching canon law at a seminary in Peru, where he became a missionary and spent more than half of his religious career.

We do begin our coverage now with CNN's Erin Burnett in Rome. Erin, set the scene for us there. You were there as this announcement was made. So much excitement.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST, "OUTFRONT": So much excitement. And Brianna and Boris, I mean, I have to say, it is, you know, in our careers of seeing things, I have never experienced something like this, which was just such a shocking and stunning surprise to so many. I mean, even understanding that the other American cardinals were stunned that this went this way. Just an incredible, an incredible statement, an incredible moment.

And here in the Square, I mean, shock - shock. I mean, they would have been happy to be clear. Anyone that was here said, you know, I am so happy. They were happy there was a pope. Whoever the Pope was would have been greeted with joy and jubilation. But history has been made.

And as you said, Brianna, and perhaps more poignantly than anyone has said before, we've never had a pope that was called Bob before. I mean, it's something so simple and yet so profound. And here we are and America has been chosen by the most diverse group of cardinals from more countries in the world than anywhere else has chosen, now Leo XIV as the Pope.

And just feeling it here, there are moments when we end up covering things that are so sad and tragic and heartbreaking and it isn't always that you get to cry, sharing the joy of those who are around you, as we were today. David Gibson is here with me now, the co-author of "Finding Jesus: Faith. Fact. Forgery." And also, the director of Fordham's Center on Religion and Culture.

And as I said, you know, there aren't a lot of moments in what I do where you are moved to tears of joy by where you are. This was one of them.

DAVID GIBSON, CO-AUTHOR, FINDING JESUS: FAITH. FACT. FORGERY.: I know. Now, I've been to two other conclaves now. This is my third, I hate to say, it never gets old. It's just such a moment of anticipation. Everybody's just waiting. The whole world is watching. I think you said it's not just - and the other commentators say, it's not just someone for the Catholic Church. It's someone for the world, and especially in this moment. All of the conflicts in the world, all of the resurgent nationalism, populism, tribalism is breaking into our own groups.

Here is a pope who represents a 1.4-billion-member church around the world. Like you said, he was elected, an American, was elected by the most diverse group of cardinals ever in history, from more than 70 countries around the world. That says something.

BURNETT: Yes, it says something. And to remind everybody that of 133 cardinals in the room, in order to be elected, he had to have the support of at least 89 of them. At least 89 of them.

[15:05:00]

GIBSON: And I suspect he went well over that. We'll have to wait and see. The leaks will come out. It's all secret for now, but ...

BURNETT: Yes.

GIBSON: ... you know, I suspect as it got up towards that, because we saw it was the fourth, maybe fifth ballot, it was a surprise. Cardinal Parolin was the - thought to be the leader going in.

BURNETT: Secretary of State, expected to be.

GIBSON: The Secretary of State.

BURNETT: Yes.

GIBSON: An Italian restoration. I honestly was surprised. Not entirely surprised by Provost - Bob - Pope Bob ...

BURNETT: Yes. Pope Bob.

GIBSON: But that it happened so quickly and like this. So, I think there must have been a real bandwagon, a real groundswell of support.

BURNETT: Yes, and that is what is so fascinating at this moment. With what - with the focus on America right now.

GIBSON: Yes.

BURNETT: Whether it's the trade issue or the boycotting of American products or, you know, the stories that we are hearing. The frustration, the drop of tourism numbers, that such a statement would be made.

GIBSON: And I think it clearly is a statement you've already seen on social media, his Twitter history, which we all - which always happens when someone comes to the floor publicly.

BURNETT: Yep.

GIBSON: He pushed back against J.D. Vance and some of the claims he was making about what love of neighbor means, things like that. So, I think he's a quiet man. He's known for that, but I think he's very serious and he's very prophetic in his own way.

BURNETT: As he - when he came to that balcony, he took a lot longer than he could have taken, right? And it seemed that that was because he was writing and thinking about what he wanted to say.

GIBSON: I know.

BURNETT: And he - it was not a brief blessing. He took the time to address the crowd. And he did exude a sort of a grace, a thoughtfulness, which seems to be consistent with what we're hearing him to be known for by those who have known him the best.

GIBSON: Grace and thoughtfulness, I think that's perfect the way you put it. He's not going to be the same as Pope Francis, which he shouldn't try to be.

BURNETT: No.

GIBSON: You have to be your own person. And he's going to be a little bit calmer. He's not, as they say, he blesses babies. He doesn't kiss them, but who knows, you know, once you become Pope, you are your own man to a certain degree.

But I think it is to get away from the thrill of all of it. Friends of mine in the Curia here speak very highly of him. One of them said yesterday, he's very impressive. He knows how to run it. No one in the Curia says - has a bad thing to say about him. And if you know anything about the Roman Curia, that's an accomplishment already.

BURNETT: Oh, I can only imagine I would think is akin to the days of Borgia (ph).

GIBSON: Exactly.

BURNETT: All right. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. It's good to be here with you in this moment.

And Brianna, back to you.

KEILAR: Great to have you there in this moment. Erin Burnett, thank you for that.

And now to the U.S. and Chicago, the hometown of Pope Leo XIV. CNN's Whitney Wild is at the Catholic Theological Union, where the new pope graduated from.

Whitney, what are you hearing there?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, I think I'm echoing the worldwide refrain at this point, which is people here are also shocked, but their shock is only outmatched by their delight. There were several members of his religious order, the Augustinians, who are inside this building behind me. And their smile did not leave their face. We are steps from where he lived in those very formative years, Brianna. And as you point out, this is his home.

He was born in Chicago in 1955. He attended St. Mary of the Assumption Church on 137th Street on the south side of Chicago. That is the deep south side of Chicago. He received his Master of Divinity degree here at the Chicago Theological Union. This is such a profound moment for the students here. It is a chance to see themselves in the man who now leads the Catholic Church.

Let's listen now to what the president of the Catholic Theological Union said. This is Sister Barbara Reid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SR. BARBARA REID, PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL UNION: I have absolutely no doubt that our new Pope Leo XIV will just be an extraordinary leader. We didn't think it was possible for an American to be the person that the cardinals would choose. But he's got such a global vision. And all the years that he spent in Peru, he's a person that really has the heart of the whole church.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: Again, it is an absolutely momentous moment. I want to take a moment just to help our viewers understand the flavor of Catholicism here in Chicago, here on the south side. There have been many leaders of the Catholic Church who have come from this very neighborhood. Leaders in theology who have come from this very neighborhood. And now, again, one of their own leading the church in this incredibly important time, Brianna.

SANCHEZ: Whitney Wild reporting from Chicago, thank you so much for that update.

Joining us now is Meghan Clark. She's a theology professor at St. John's University.

Megan, thanks so much for being with us.

[15:10:00]

What's your reaction to the news that there is a new pope and he's American?

MEGHAN CLARK, THEOLOGY PROFESSOR, ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY: Thank you so much for having me. And I know everyone you talk to is saying how we really didn't think this was possible. It's sinking in and it really is - it's exciting in ways that I didn't anticipate, that he is an American, but also that he has the background that he in particular has as an American.

KEILAR: Yes, certainly. And talk a little bit more about that, because he obviously brings his Midwestern roots, Midwestern experience, but also this experience in Peru, his experience as an Augustinian.

CLARK: This is what I think is so remarkable. We're talking about an American who I think the last count, when I looked it up, speaks about eight languages. If we're counting the Latin in there, I think. His - he has experiences here in the U.S., but then much of his ministry has been global. And so, he served in Peru for a long time. He was a bishop in Peru, but he was also elected to be prior general of the Augustinians twice. And so, serving two terms.

And so, we have in him a new pope who already has traveled around to see the rest of the global church, that has a real sense of who the global church is, including far off places that not a lot of people get to visit. And this is likely the first time where we have a pope with that kind of global experience before they start, as opposed to that's such a big part of what the pope does now is travel and connect with the global church.

SANCHEZ: How would you say, Meghan, that his being an Augustinian perhaps informs his outlook of the papacy?

CLARK: I think that it likely - we saw that in what he came out and said - he said, with you, I am a Christian, for you, I am a bishop, which is a famous quip from St. Augustine. And I think that this sense of what does it mean to be a Christian first, to be with the people, is something that we're going to see a lot of, as well as a real sense he has a lot of leadership experience, right? So, he - I think he has a sense of what responsibility means when you are responsible for a community, when you are their shepherd and we'll see that. He's a graduate of Villanova, which, quite frankly, as a professor at St. John's, feels like, you know, maybe a little bit too much of, you know, is that fair now in the Big East?

They have the Pope on their side. But there's someone who has come out of an education system where we know he majored in math, but one where he's in an order and out of an education that deeply values learning. He comes from a family where there were teachers, deeply values this kind of faith and reason coming together and a real sense of the Gospel. And I'm excited to see what that looks like and how that can maybe influence some conversations we have here in the United States, too.

KEILAR: He's chosen this name, Leo, which is going to inform us, perhaps - it's going to signal to us what he may want to be defined by. Maybe you can talk a little bit about that. But could you also, Meghan, talk about what his papacy might mean for women in the church, what it could mean for their role? That would be a question really for anyone who would be pope. But I do wonder as well what it means with him as the pope.

CLARK: He came out and he said Leo XIV, and I kind of, you know, held my breath a little bit. I do Catholic social teaching, and Leo XIII is the one who started modern Catholic social teaching in 1891 with "Rerum Novarum." The Church's social engagement on poverty, on economics, on climate change, on migration, that all started with Leo XIII.

And so, he's - he was sending, I think, at least, or I hope, a real signal for putting himself in that tradition. And many may know "Laudato Si," Pope Francis' statement on the environment. That's part of that tradition.

What we don't know as much is what his papacy will look like in terms of women's participation in the Church.

[15:15:00]

There are a couple of things that I would point to that give me hope in terms of women's continued and greater inclusion in leadership, and that is a couple of things.

One, if you look at his education, he spent more of his higher education involved in classes with women and with women teachers, right? Catholic Theological Union's current president is a woman. The - these are schools and education systems where he would have been in classes with women. He would have had women as instructors, as his teachers. And that, to me, is a good sign.

He was very - has spoken positively about the synod and synodality and those efforts of Pope Francis. And when we look, one of the big accomplishments of Pope Francis, one of the shifts, was the fact that women were participants and all of the laywomen who were participating as members of the synod got a vote and that was the first time that happened.

And so, we see these areas where I look for signs that you have greater - the greater inclusion that we've been seeing might continue, out of his experience of both his own upbringing and education as well as being part of these efforts by Pope Francis. Ultimately, Pope Francis didn't change any doctrines when it comes to women, but he did open significant spaces for women to hold leadership roles in the church. And I really hope that that will continue with Pope Leo XIV.

KEILAR: Yes, and we'll have to wait and see, right? We don't know what kind of pope he's going to be, but time will certainly tell.

Meghan Clark, it was wonderful to have you. Thank you so much for the thoughtful discussion. We really appreciate it.

CLARK: Thank you so much for having me.

KEILAR: And still to come, the Transportation Secretary announcing plans for an upgraded air traffic control system after decades of problems. We'll have details.

Plus, President Trump announcing a trade agreement with the U.K., one that he says will be the first of many. What we know about the deal coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:21:40]

SANCHEZ: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy just unveiled plans to modernize the nation's aging air traffic control system. The announcement follows the multi-day meltdown at Newark Airport that began last week when controllers briefly lost contact with planes and their screens just went blank. The stress of it all prompting some of them to go on trauma leave.

United Airlines, which has a hub at Newark, was especially hard hit by the outage. CNN Aviation Correspondent Pete Muntean is at the Department of Transportation with more on the plan.

And Pete, President Trump called in to today's announcement. You also spoke with the CEO of United earlier today.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And you know, President Trump called in to lend his support for this sweeping overhaul plan of the back-end infrastructure at air traffic control facilities nationwide, saying that air traffic control needs to be brought up to a modern standard, highlighted by that 90-second radar and radio blackout at the Newark Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility last Monday.

I just want to show you some of the systems that they had out here as props to really highlight how old and aging some of the technology in air traffic control facilities really is. This is a panel that they use to operate the radar. This is the radar that would be on an airport - an airport surveillance radar. These are the keys. This is the cursor. It's from 1988, which is as old as I am.

This is the screen that they use, and it's about two feet deep. When have you seen a cathode ray screen like this in 2025? Really shows just what needs to be modernized right now. And this is a major plan unveiled by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that calls for updating 4,600 air traffic control facilities nationwide, replacing about 600 different radars, also rebuilding six air traffic control centers.

The kicker here is that he wants to do this all in three to four years. There is some skepticism about that in the aviation industry. And I want you to listen now to Duffy, who admitted this is a bold and challenging project.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN DUFFY, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: President Trump understands the problem, and he wants to fix the problem. He doesn't want to take this problem and pass it to the next administration, to the next secretary, to a next set of victims who could lose their life in an air traffic incident.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: So many members of the family from that midair collision over Reagan National Airport on January 29th were in the audience here. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he will be able to get this done with a $15 billion down payment from the Congress right now. That is just the beginning of this project. This could happen relatively quickly. And I asked the CEO of United Airlines if that could be done earlier today, and he said he felt relatively confident that this administration could do it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT KIRBY, UNITED AIRLINES CEO: They always keep safety, number one. That does lead to delays sometimes, but safety is always paramount and number one. The biggest thing that we can do for the air traffic controllers is get them technology that works and get them fully staffed.

[15:25:00]

And that's why today is such a historic day, I think, for the FAA, because for the first time in my career, we actually have a plan to get this fixed and get the foundation so that the United States has the best air traffic control system in the world, which is what we deserve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: It's important to underscore here the support by airline CEOs. In a rare moment, about five CEOs were on the stage behind here, which really does not happen. It's a very competitive industry. Sean Duffy says they feel like they'll be able to build this. This is something that the administration has essentially wanted to do since day one of the Trump administration, he said.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it underscores the urgency to get something done and address this problem. Pete Muntean, thanks so much from the Department of Transportation. Brianna?

KEILAR: President Trump announcing a new trade deal with the United Kingdom today, Trump calling it a great deal for both nations, and it's one the White House says will bring millions - or pardon me, billions to American companies. Details do remain scarce, and that is because there's still a lot of details to be worked out here. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich with us now from New York.

All right. What's in this deal or should we say the framework of a deal, Vanessa?

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS & POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, one deal or one framework down, over a hundred to go. But this is a deal that was worked out with a key ally of ours, the United Kingdom. This is a country that the U.S. actually has a trade surplus with, meaning that the U.K. buys more from us than we get from them. But the President really in the Oval Office was promising that there was more to come, that this was just the beginning. Listen to what he said earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today's agreement with the U.K. is the first in a series of agreements on trade that my administration has been negotiating over the past four weeks. With this deal, the U.K. joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade. The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YURKEVICH: And so more to come on this deal with the U.K., but he's also saying more deals to come in general with other countries. But specifically in this deal, here's what we know so far. There's about $5 billion in market opportunity for farmers and ranchers and producers, so much so that the U.K. is now agreeing to buy beef from the United States, something that they have not done previously. This is critical because farmers are losing a lot of money because China is not buying our soybeans right now because of those high tariffs.

Also, the first 100,000 cars that come into the United States from the U.K., only getting a 10 percent tariff, not that 25 percent tariff. And then the U.S. and the U.K. is now creating a sort of trade union for steel and aluminum where those items will be tariff-free. And then Rolls-Royce engines and other U.K. plane parts coming into the U.S. will not have tariffs on them.

But, Brianna, this is important because this is a framework that maybe other countries can look to trying to understand what the President is looking for in these deals. As we know, the countdown is on to when that 90-day pause on those higher reciprocal tariffs run out. Other countries are probably watching this and starting to think about what they may be able to negotiate with the United States to make sure that they stave off those higher reciprocal tariffs that are set to go back into effect in July. Brianna?

KEILAR: Yes, as you said, the clock is ticking here.

Vanessa Yurkevich, thank you very much.

And ahead, we have more on our coverage of Pope Leo XIV, the first American to become leader of the Catholic Church. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)