In Leo's First Interview, American Pope Blasts Elon Musks's Exorbitant Wealth

In a wide ranging interview on faith, politics, and economics, Leo links Musk-sized fortunes and CEO pay gaps to a deeper moral crisis.

On Septetember 14 — his 70th birthday — Pope Leo XIV’s first formal interview as pontiff went public, and he led with economic inequality.

Citing projections that Elon Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire, Leo questioned a culture that treats extreme wealth as the highest value and contrasted today’s CEO-worker pay gaps with earlier eras.

“If that is the only thing that has value anymore, then we’re in big trouble,” he said.

The comments follow fresh headlines about a potential trillion-dollar compensation plan tied to Tesla, disclosed in a Sept. 5 regulatory filing.

The wide-ranging conversation — released by the Catholic outlet Crux — was conducted in two 90-minute sessions in July by veteran Vatican journalist Elise Ann Allen for a forthcoming biography.

Video excerpts show a relaxed Leo speaking from his Vatican residence about faith, leadership, and public life less than three months into his pontificate.

Inequality wasn’t his only theme. Leo linked today’s “continuously wider” gap between rich and poor to a broader culture of polarization that corrodes institutions and families alike.

He presented synodality — a style of governance built on listening across disagreement — as “an antidote” to that fracture, pushing back on fears that synodality dilutes authority or turns the church into a plebiscite.

On geopolitics, Leo called for renewed efforts toward peace in Ukraine and signaled a pragmatic turn in diplomacy.

While affirming the Holy See’s bridge-building role, he voiced concern that multilateral bodies such as the United Nations are struggling to deliver, suggesting that bilateral channels may, for now, move faster. (Reuters)

The interview also opened a window on the person behind the office. .

A Chicago native who spent two decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru, Leo described a “huge learning curve” in becoming a global figure overnight; he said the pastoral side comes naturally, while the head-of-state dimension demands rapid adaptation.

He joked about sports loyalties and spoke warmly of the Latin American church that shaped his priesthood. He even said he’d root for Peru over the United States in a hypothetical World Cup matchup.

We can forgive him for that I suppose.

This interview offers a clear glimpse into the character, personality, and worldview of one of the world’s most consequential religious leaders.

When the full Spanish-language edition of Allen’s book is released on Thursday, September 18, I’ll translate the key sections and share the most important snippets here in the newsletter.

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