(LifeSiteNews) — American Catholics were surely let down when Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni announced last Sunday that Pope Leo XIV will not visit the United States in 2026.

The news is disappointing because Leo was born in Chicago and spent much of his life in the Midwest before becoming a missionary in Peru. His two brothers still live in the U.S.

One can only wonder if the announcement is a snub of President Donald Trump, who has been on the receiving end of many verbal attacks by liberal clergy who disagree with his immigration policies. Leo himself has indirectly criticized him on several occasions.

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Leo’s upbringing in the United States fueled hopes that he might return to “the land of the free” as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence this coming July 4. Alas, it isn’t to be.

Trump has outlined ambitious plans for the coming ten months to honor America’s storied history. At the National Prayer Breakfast this month, he announced that a re-dedication of the United States to God would be taking place on the National Mall this summer. Imagine if Leo and the rest of the U.S. bishops joined in that event. Surely that scene would have been a rather healing moment for the country following the ICE protests in Minnesota.

Thus far, Leo’s travel has been rather modest. Since his election last May, he has only visited Turkey and Lebanon. Upcoming visits this year include Spain, with stops expected in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.

Africa is also on the horizon after Easter, alongside Algeria and others yet to be announced. These choices appear to reflect Leo’s emphasis on global peripheries.

After the 2013 conclave, Pope Francis never returned to his native land of Argentina either. He, too, visited various nations “on the peripheries” while focusing on climate issues and the poor. It would seem Leo is following in his predecessor’s footsteps.

The Vatican’s decision to not expound upon why Leo won’t be visiting the U.S. only leaves Catholics asking questions. Indeed, other pontiffs visited America, where there are more than 70 million faithful.

For instance, in 1979, John Paul II drew massive crowds in Chicago and elsewhere. As a native of Poland, many American Poles flocked to see him. John Paul II’s trip notably took place just one year after his election.

What’s more, Benedict XVI visited the U.S. in 2008 and stopped by his native Germany early in his pontificate for World Youth Day 2005. Later, he visited Bavaria, further emphasizing his closeness to his people.

Given that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has clashed with Trump on foreign affairs – as well as deportations and border policies – perhaps a visit by Leo could be thought to inadvertently elevate the president’s profile ahead of all important midterms later this year.

It wouldn’t be surprising to learn if that is the Vatican’s main calculation. Surely the bishops don’t want to help Trump maintain majorities in the House and Senate where they might enact tougher immigration policies.

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Skeptics are right to see the omission as a slight to Trump. But it is also a possible signal by Leo that he doesn’t want to be tied down as the “American Pope” and instead to be seen as a Pope of “a global church.”

A Leo visit to the U.S. would have been a sign that he’s willing to be above politics and to put the needs of the faithful above all else. Surely if there was a group of laity who were given the cold shoulder by Pope Francis it was American Catholics, who Francis seemed to be extremely irritated by. One can only wonder if Leo’s move will cause donors in the U.S. to withhold their support from the Vatican.

Perhaps future years will see a Leo visit the U.S. If that happens, it will surely be an unforgettable scene. At the moment, American Catholics are forced to grapple with his absence. While a rebuke to Trump or to them is unclear, it surely must sting a bit to know that the first American pope ever elected in the Church’s 2,000 year history decided to not visit his homeland during the first year and a half in office.