WASHINGTON 

US President Donald Trump congratulated Robert Francis Prevost, who was elected as the new pope Thursday, taking the name of Leo XIV.

"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country.

"I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

His remarks came after the 69-year-old cardinal from Chicago was elected leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Francis died last month at the age of 88.

On the election of an American pope, Trump told reporters at the White House: "To have the pope from the United States of America, that's a great honor, that's a great honor."

"I was watching it and they said, he's from America. I said, ‘that's great,’" he added.

Asked whether he is going to meet Pope Leo, Trump said: "I do. They’ve already called."

On whether he regrets posting a picture of himself dressed as the pope, Trump said: "What's next?" as reporters jumped in.

A photo created with artificial intelligence depicting Trump as the pope was shared from his official social media account last week.

He later dismissed criticism of the White House's decision to post the AI-generated image that roiled some of the world's more than 1.4 billion Catholics.

"The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope, and they put it out on the internet. That's not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from," said Trump.