For the first time in history, an American sits on the Throne of St. Peter. Pope Leo XIV – born in Dolton, Illinois, and formed at Villanova University – now leads the global Church. At the same moment, President Trump’s new Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, heads to Rome.
The Catalyst: Pope Leo XIV. His election electrifies the faithful. His modesty, steadiness, and clarity provide a needed counterbalance to the recent era of confusion.
Conversions surge. Young people – searching for meaning and noble lives of purpose – are returning to the pews (especially men). Conservative religious orders attract new vocations. Witnesses like Blessed Carlo Acutis inspire a generation hungry for truth, stability, and eternal meaning.
In American politics, Catholics are no longer the foundation of the Democratic Party. It is difficult to exaggerate how profound this reversal is. In fact, Catholics move decisively to the populist right.
Our spring poll: Catholics massively reject radicalism, rating the Democrats at -25% net approval (31–56%). Republicans? -2% net (44–46%).
In 2024, Trump carried Catholics by +12% nationally – and won Hispanic Catholics in record numbers, the largest Latino vote total ever for a Republican. With Latinos now 40% of U.S. Catholics – and a majority of Gen Z – this shift is demographic destiny.
If past is prelude, then these gains point toward a lot more wins ahead for the patriotic populist right wing. After all, Catholics have voted for the winning presidential candidate in every single election but one (2000) for a half century. So, new Catholic convert Vice President JD Vance seems especially well-positioned to grow this populist right trend among the demographic that “picks presidents.”
More than most political leaders, Vance understands and promotes the social and economic approach to policies best explained in Rerum Novarum, the encyclical of Pope Leo XIII in 1891 at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, as Marxism swirled around the globe. This Pope Leo chose his name explicitly to pay homage to his predecessor and the importance of that teaching, in this new data/AI world.
The Rerum Novarum philosophy wholly rejects socialism as antithetical to Christianity and affirms the economic primacy of private property. It simultaneously abhors a commercialism that degrades human dignity and prioritizes workers and families over corporatism.
These principles – subsidiarity, human dignity, solidarity – now find a political home in America First populism. Today’s Catholics see the GOP as the party of workers (+5% margin, 45–40%).
So, historic opportunities beckon. Ambassador Burch arrives in Rome at precisely this inflection point: an American Pope, a Catholic political realignment, a generation seeking meaning. As Reagan and John Paul II once did, America and the Vatican can again move in concert – resisting socialism, uplifting workers, and advancing justice worldwide.
With a unity of purpose between the world’s superpowers of the temporal and spiritual realms, we can truly build the society we want, one based on broad prosperity, vibrant communities, and a respect for transcendent truth. A society that promotes the common good and creates the conditions for faith to flourish.
When America and the Church align, history bends. That is the power – and the promise – of this American Catholic Moment.
Steve Cortes is president of the League of American Workers, a populist right pro-laborer advocacy group, and senior political advisor to Catholic Vote. He is a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance, and a former commentator for Fox News and CNN.
📊 The Final Bell – August 28, 2025
🟢 S&P 500 Gains: Closed at 6501.86, up +20.46 (+0.32%), extending its climb near record highs.
🔴 10-Year Yield Slips: Fell to 4.21%, down -0.31 (-0.73%), reflecting steady bond demand ahead of Fed signals.
🟠 Crude Oil Steady: WTI settled at $64.36, up +0.21 (+0.33%), holding gains despite demand concerns.
🟡 Bitcoin Eases: Slipped to $111,963, down -0.52%, consolidating after recent volatility.
🔵 Dollar Index Softens: DXY at 97.88, off -0.35 (-0.35%), giving up recent strength.
🟣 Gold Climbs: Ended at $3,419/oz, up +21.14 (+0.62%), supported by Fed uncertainty and haven demand.
TIPP Takes
Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, And More
1. European Leaders Outraged After Russian Strikes Kill 21 And Damage EU's HQ - BBC
The head of the European Union's executive Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has spoken of her outrage at Russia's deadliest onslaught on Kyiv since July, which also damaged the EU's delegation office in the Ukrainian capital.
At least 21 people, including four children, were killed and dozens more wounded in the bombardment, Ukrainian officials said.
A five-storey residential building was destroyed, and the EU mission and nearby British Council were damaged.
2. Von der Leyen Launches Tour Of ‘Frontline’ States To Bolster Defense Against Russia - Politico
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen embarks Friday on a tour of so-called frontline states to reassure them of Europe's support against Russian aggression and bolster defense spending, a spokesperson for the EU executive said Thursday.
The tour will take von der Leyen to Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland — all countries that share a border with Russia or Belarus — as well as Bulgaria and Romania, in what amounts to her biggest diplomatic push on EU security and defense since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
3. Ukraine Confirms Russia Has Entered Central Dnipropetrovsk Region – TIPP Insights
Ukrainian forces have acknowledged that Russia’s military has crossed into the eastern industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk and is trying to establish a foothold.
Any Russian advance into Dnipropetrovsk would be a blow to Ukrainian morale, as a U.S.-led diplomatic bid to bring the war to an end appears to be flagging despite President Donald Trump meeting Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
4. Germany's Pistorius: New Rheinmetall Arms Plant Sends Signal - DW
Defense contractor Rheinmetall has opened a new plant for arms and explosives in the German state of Lower Saxony, the largest munitions factory in Europe.
Like many other NATO and EU members, Germany is ramping up arms production to help Ukraine fight Russia's full-scale invasion in the short term and develop the capabilities necessary to counter any future threats to its security.
5. Europe Moves To Reimpose UN Sanctions On Iran – TIPP Insights
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have triggered the “snapback” mechanism to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran, citing Tehran’s escalating nuclear activities.
The move comes just weeks before the October deadline, when the ability to trigger snapback would have expired. The European powers said Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium has “no civilian justification” and poses a “clear threat to international peace and security.”
6. North Korean Leader Kim To Join Xi, Putin At China Military Parade - Kyodo
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will join Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in observing a military parade and other events next week to commemorate 80 years since Japan's defeat in World War II, the Chinese government said Thursday.
Kim, who will be making his first trip to China in six years, will be among 26 foreign leaders taking part in the Sept. 3 events. The official Korean Central News Agency confirmed that Kim is visiting at the invitation of Xi.
7. Cutting Off Russian Oil for India is a Risky Game – Oilprice.com
If India cuts back purchases, barrels may be effectively removed from the market.
There is no other oil buyer of such size in the world, so if the U.S. pressure campaign begins in earnest and Indian refiners and the government yield, that’s 1.6 million barrels daily that may well have nowhere else to go because of sanctions, so they would be effectively removed from the market.
Now, despite all the talk about a “bloated” supply situation, the oil market appears to be, in fact, constantly on the verge of a shortage, so the loss of those 1.6 million barrels daily will push prices higher.
8. Stanford Study: AI Cuts Jobs For Young Workers By 13% - TIPP Insights
A new Stanford University study finds that generative artificial intelligence is reshaping America’s job market, hitting young workers hardest.
Researchers analyzed millions of payroll records from ADP and found that employment for 22- to 25-year-olds in AI-exposed fields, such as customer service, accounting, and software development, has declined by 13% since 2022.
The study suggests younger workers are especially vulnerable because AI can replace “book learning” from formal education, while experience-based skills remain harder to automate. Some fields, however, show muted effects when AI complements human work instead of replacing it.
9. Buenos Aires Aims To Be Among Leading Cities For Cryptocurrency Use - UPI
Buenos Aires has allowed certain local taxes, vehicle registrations, driver's licenses and fines to be paid with cryptocurrency for the first time as part of an effort to position the Argentine capital as a leader in using digital currency.
"The goal is for the city to be a global leader in crypto. We already have the human capital, and now we are creating the tools by reducing bureaucracy to make compliance easier for taxpayers and to support the arrival of new companies setting up here," said Jorge Macri, chief of government of Buenos Aires, at the launch of the project.
10. US Economy Grew At A Faster Pace In Q2 Following Commerce Department Revision – Fox News
The U.S. economy grew at a faster rate than previously thought in the second quarter after the Commerce Department released its first revision of real gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the latest quarter.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released its second estimate of Q2 GDP, which showed the economy grew at a 3.3% rate. That figure was faster than the 3.1% estimate of economists polled by LSEG, and above the Commerce Department's initial Q2 GDP estimate of 3%.
11. Mortgage Rates Fall To 10-Month Low – Fox News
Average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 6.56%, says Freddie Mac.
"Purchase demand continues to rise on the back of lower rates and solid economic growth," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. "Though many potential homebuyers still face affordability challenges, consistently lower rates may provide them with the impetus to enter the market."
12. Cases Of Flesh-Eating Screwworms Increase 53% In Mexico: Report – Al-Jazeera
Mexico has reported a 53 percent increase in cases of flesh-eating screwworm in animals over the past month, as the parasite continues its northward trajectory towards the United States border, according to government data.
Mexican government data indicate that there were 5,086 cases as of August 17, including 649 active ones, the Reuters news agency reported on Thursday, citing updated data not yet made public.
13. Study Suggests Diet And Exercise Safeguard Liver From Alcohol Damage – Health News
A healthy diet and regular physical activity can protect your liver at least partially from the harmful effects of alcohol, researchers reported Wednesday in the Journal of Hepatology.
"We found that adherence to high levels of physical activity and/or diet quality was associated with a lower risk of liver-related death across all drinking patterns," said senior researcher Dr. Naga Chalasani, a professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.
