Bomb threat reported at home of Pope Leo's brother in Chicago suburb, police investigating
Bomb threat reported at home of Pope Leo's brother in Chicago suburb
Police in suburban Chicago are investigating an unfounded bomb threat directed at the home of Pope Leo's brother. It comes following a recent public exchange between the pope and President Trump.
NEW LENOX, Ill. - A reported bomb threat prompted evacuations and a police response Wednesday evening at a suburban Chicago home where the brother of Pope Leo XIV lives.
What we know:
According to New Lenox police, officers were called to a private residence on Sojourn Road around 6:29 p.m. after receiving a report of a bomb threat.
Police set up a perimeter around the home and asked nearby residents to leave as a precaution.
John Prevost and his brother, Pope Leo XIV | FOX Chicago and Getty Images
After a thorough search of the property using K9s, investigators determined the threat was unsubstantiated. No explosives or hazardous materials were found.
No injuries were reported, and residents were allowed to return home after the scene was cleared.
The home belongs to the pope’s brother, John, police said.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear who made the threat and whether it is connected to recent public tensions involving the pope and President Donald Trump.
The backstory:
The incident comes days after a public exchange between Pope Leo and Trump.
During a prayer vigil over the weekend, the pope criticized what he described as growing aggression and called for peace, urging world leaders to pursue dialogue over conflict in regard to the war in Iran.
Trump responded in a Truth Social post, criticizing the pope’s views on foreign policy and describing him as "weak on crime." The president also claimed credit for the Chicago native’s rise to the papacy.
"He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump," the post read.
The pope later responded while speaking with The Associated Press. He said the Vatican's peace appeals were rooted in the Gospel, and that his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the "delusion of omnipotence" that he said was fueling the Iran war was not a direct attack on Trump or anyone else.
"To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is," Leo said. "And I’m sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today."
Trump and Pope Leo clash over Iran War, policy and criticism
A growing feud between President Trump and Pope Leo is escalating, with both trading sharp criticism over war, immigration, and global policy.
Speaking to other reporters, he added: "I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for.''
"We are not politicians. We do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective that he may have,'' the pope said, adding, "I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems.
"Too many people are suffering today, too many innocent people have been killed, and I believe someone must stand up and say that there is a better way,'' he said.
Dig deeper:
The pope's weekend comments were some of the strongest since he called Trump’s threat against Iran last week "truly unacceptable," FOX News reported.
Leo's "unacceptable" remark came after Trump wrote on Truth Social, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will... God Bless the Great People of Iran!"
Trump AI Jesus-figure
On Monday, Trump shared an image on Truth Social that appeared to be AI-generated and likened him to a Jesus figure.
The image shows Trump in a white robe with red cloth, with beams of light coming from his hands as he rests a palm on a sick man's forehead.
The photo was deleted several hours later, and Trump said during an impromptu news conference with a Door Dash driver that he meant the photo to be him as a doctor.
"I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross, there’s a Red Cross worker there," he said. "It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better, and I do make people better. I make people a lot better."
In a post Thursday on X, Leo wrote the following:
What's next:
The bomb threat in New Lenox remains under investigation as police work to determine who made the call.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Lenox Police Department at 815-485-2500 or submit a tip through the village’s website.
The Source: The information in this story came from the New Lenox Police Department, statements made by Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump, and The Associated Press.