Pope Leo XIV Backs News Agencies Against "Art of Lying"

On October 9th, 2025, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, delivered a powerful speech encouraging international news agencies to stand firm against the "ancient art of lying" and manipulation. The Chicago-born pontiff, who has been in office for five months, has been a vocal advocate for press freedom and the rights of journalists.

In his address to executives of MINDS International, a consortium of leading news agencies, Leo XIV called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed that journalism is a right, not a crime. He stated that the work of journalists is a "pillar upholding the edifice of our societies" and must be protected and defended.

The pope warned that even with the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, news agencies must remain steadfast in their commitment to providing free, independent, and objective information. He quoted philosopher Hannah Arendt, cautioning that the world needs to distinguish between fact and fiction, true and false, to prevent the rise of totalitarian rule.

Leo XIV urged the news agencies to never "sell out their authority" and to act as a "barrier against those who, through the ancient art of lying, seek to create divisions in order to rule by dividing." He also praised their role in bringing the world's attention to conflicts and crises, saying, "If today we know what is happening in Gaza, Ukraine and every other land bloodied by bombs, we largely owe it to them."