Pope Leo champions free press, dodges White Sox miracle question

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Leo XIV said Friday he welcomes journalists to chronicle his travels, in sharp contrast to President Donald Trump, who recently kicked three news outlets out of the White House before having to undo that ban. The leader of the world’s Catholics was asked about the White House’s most recent bout with America’s free press — and while the pontiff didn’t mention Trump by name, he said good and thorough news coverage “is very important.” A federal court on Thursday forced the Trump administration to temporarily restore CNN’s, MS NOW’s and Politico’s access to their White House workspaces. “I am very happy that here you are all welcome, and we have it all the way around for everybody,” the pope said. “Good coverage, I think, is very important, and we have it all the way around for everybody. Thank you.” On a lighter note, the Chicago-raised Leo smiled broadly when he was asked about his beloved White Sox qualifying for the MLB playoffs — an overachievement of near-biblical proportions considering that the South Siders lost 121 games as recently as 2024. “Some call it a miracle. Do you have anything to do with that?” a reporter asked. “No comment,” a smiling Leo said. “Great things happen in Chicago.” The White Sox won the 2005 World Series, and Fox television cameras caught a passing glimpse of fan Robert Prevost — the man who’d later become Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost and then the first American pope. Claudio Lavanga reported from aboard the papal plane, and David K. Li reported from New York City.