The Holy See has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV does not plan to visit the United States during the year 2026, amid speculations about a possible trip to his native country.
According to OSV News, the Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, responded on February 8, 2025, to journalists’ questions by stating that “the Pope will not go to the United States in 2026”.
A pending invitation since May
The possibility of a visit had been mentioned after a meeting held on May 19 between the Pontiff and the U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who conveyed an invitation on behalf of President Donald Trump, according to Reuters. In a video released by the Vatican, the Pope then commented that he would travel “at some point”, without specifying dates.
Other destinations under study
Although there is no official announcement about the complete travel schedule for 2026, bishops from Angola, Algeria, and Spain have confirmed that the Pope will visit their countries this year.
Likewise, during a press conference aboard the papal plane on December 2, Leo XIV expressed his desire to travel to Latin America, mentioning Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru, the country where he served as a missionary and bishop, although he specified that the plans are not yet defined.
The Holy See usually announces papal trips several months or weeks in advance. And for the moment, the United States is not among the planned destinations for 2026.